Piedmont Natural Gas supports STEM at TCMU

GREENVILLE, SC – The Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation recently awarded a $2,500 grant to The Children’s Museum of the Upstate (TCMU) to support STEM education programs.

STEM, an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, is a core component of the museum’s 19 permanent exhibits. Annually, the museum provides hundreds of hands-on STEM programs including STEM field trips for visiting school groups, STEM summer camps, afterschool FIRST® LEGO® League, Rad Lab science programs, and special one-day events like Maker Fest.

“We need to equip our children with strong STEM skills so our country can remain competitive in the global market,” said Michael Durham, community relations manager for Piedmont Natural Gas. “The Children’s Museum does an incredible job of getting children excited about science and math, and Piedmont is delighted to support their efforts.”

Photo: Addy Matney, TCMU Board Chair; Nancy Halverson, TCMU President & CEO; Michael Durham, Community Relations Manager for Piedmont Natural Gas.

“We are grateful for Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation’s support of our STEM programs. We are able to serve 200,000 children and families annually with interactive STEM exhibits and programs thanks to the generosity of many individuals and businesses who contribute,” said Nancy Halverson, TCMU President and CEO.

The Children’s Museum of the Upstate is open 7 days in the summer through Labor Day and closed on Mondays during the school year. Admission is just $9 for children and $10 for adults. The STEM program schedule and all details can be found on the museum’s website, www.tcmupstate.org.

About The Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation

Established in 2004 ,the Foundation’s mission of “Enriching Our Communities” mirrors their strong philanthropic commitment to the communities it serves. The Foundation’s grant making strategy further reflects that commitment by focusing on two areas: Environmental Stewardship and Energy Sustainability, and Community Enrichment Initiatives centered on K-12 STEM Education, Workforce Development and Health and Human Services. Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than $8.7 million in grants to qualifying organizations in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

About the The Children’s Museum of the Upstate (TCMU)

TCMU’s mission is to spark a lifelong passion for curiosity and learning through play. Conveniently located in downtown Greenville on the cultural campus of Heritage Green, visitors experience 19 exhibit galleries with more than 100 individual exhibit components that offer a continuum of programming in the areas of arts, humanities, sciences, health, nutrition and the environment. At 80,000 square feet, TCMU is the nation’s 7th largest children’s museum and 10th largest in the world. As the nation’s first children’s museum to become a Smithsonian Affiliate, there are new and exciting programs developed for every age level to stimulate creativity and stir the imagination. For more information, visit www.tcmupstate.org.