Girl Scouts of North East Ohio (GSNEO) announced funding included in the 134th Ohio General Assembly’s capital appropriations bill in the amount of $250,000 for the GSNEO STEM Center of Excellence at Camp Ledgewood in Peninsula, Ohio.
State capital budget dollars will be used for construction of GSNEO’s STEM Center of Excellence, which will provide a unique space for students throughout Northeast Ohio to experience STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) learning with hands-on activities using state-of-the-art equipment. The facility will be constructed at Camp Ledgewood, located between Cleveland and Akron in Peninsula, and surrounded by Cuyahoga Valley National Park. This location is within a half hour drive time of 8,670 (51%) of GSNEO members and 60,433 middle school age children.
“Encouraging youth to learn more about and pursue their interests in STEM fields will be vitally important for the future of our nation. I was delighted to work with the Girl Scouts of North East Ohio to secure $250,000 in the State Capital Budget for the Peninsula STEM Center of Excellence,” said State Senator Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson).
“The STEM Center of Excellence will surely be a priceless asset for Girl Scouts in Northeast Ohio,” said State Representative Bill Roemer (R-Richfield). “Getting young girls involved in STEM education early will set them up for rewarding opportunities in the future. I am very excited to see this funding approved and to help move this project forward.”
“The STEM Center of Excellence will be an 8,000 square foot building equipped with STEM equipment such as 3D printers, classroom space, an observatory, outdoor gardens, and more to inspire Girl Scouts, in addition to providing opportunities to collaborate with local educators, to impact a larger group of youth,” said Jane Christyson, CEO of GSNEO. “This community asset will help girls and youth in the region develop their STEM identities at an early age, and we are so pleased that the state legislature and Governor’s office supported funding for the project in this budget bill.”
The STEM Center of Excellence is in the design phases and construction is scheduled to begin in Fall 2022.
