SC Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics Foundation receives $50,000 grant to scale the GoSciTech Summer Camps to serve more students
June 11, 2024
The SC Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics Foundation has been awarded a $50,000 grant from Power:Ed, the philanthropy of SC Student Loan Corporation, to support the continued growth and expansion of the Governor School for Science & Mathematics (GSSM) GoSciTech Summer Camps. This grant, currently one of the largest in foundation history, provides scholarships for students in financial need and supports a new initiative where guidance counselors provide information to families on successfully navigating the education and career pathways for their children.
Pictured L to R: Randy La Cross, GSSM Senior Vice President for Outreach & Global Initiatives; Claire Gibbons, Power:Ed Executive Director; Caitlin Sperka Taylor, GSSM Foundation Advancement Services Manager; Susan Engelhardt, GSSM Outreach Director of Summer Programs; Beth Dinndorf, GSSM Foundation Executive Director; and Danny Dorsel, GSSM President.
GSSM President Danny Dorsel said, “We are grateful to partner with Power:Ed in transforming the lives of students in South Carolina. Breaking down the barriers to quality STEM education and making educational opportunities as accessible as possible to students and their families are missions that we both share. The combined strengths of GSSM and Power:Ed will create pathways for students to hone their academic abilities and be successful in high school, college, and beyond.”
GoSciTech Summer Camps are taking place in 11 locations across the state. These residential, day, and virtual camps are for rising 6th – 10th graders, with curricula that cover numerous STEM topics. GoSciTech Residential campers select a class from over 20 options, ranging from Ornithology to Astrophysics. Ten of the South Carolina Technical Colleges across the state are hosting GoSciTech Day camps. This partnership also introduces students and their families to higher education institutions in their communities. Day camp classes offer four topics from which students choose: sustainable engineering, game design, 3D animation, and biological science.
“Power:Ed and SC Student Loan Corporation are proud to support the SC Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics and its efforts to ensure middle and high school students in rural areas across our state have opportunities to advance their summer learning, receive guidance on career and education planning, and get to know their local community colleges,” said Power:Ed Executive Director Claire Gibbons.
Power:Ed has awarded $1,000,000 in grants to South Carolina education and career readiness organizations in FY2023-24. In this fourth fiscal quarter, Power:Ed awarded five grants (including this grant to GSSMF) totaling $208,000. Grants are administered quarterly, and the next grant funding deadline is July 1, 2024.
About GSSM
One of the few specialized public residential high schools of its kind, the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics (GSSM) exists to push motivated young learners beyond their perceived levels of academic ability. Founded in 1988 under the leadership of the late Governor Carroll Campbell, GSSM has consistently raised the bar for STEM education in the Palmetto State. GSSM’s two-year residential high school program—as well as its virtual high school program, summer camps, and outreach programs—all invite young people to explore the subjects they love in a diverse, inclusive, and uncommonly supportive academic environment. Here, challenge is viewed as a gateway to opportunity. GSSM students embrace the school’s rigorous approach to education and in so doing begin to realize their full potential. Learn more by visiting www.scgssm.org.
About Power:Ed
Founded in 2019, Power:Ed, the philanthropy of SC Student Loan is dedicated to creating opportunities for South Carolina’s youth and adults by supporting low-income, minority, and first-generation students; improving access to college and degree completion; and creating pathways to quality workforce opportunities. Organizations serving middle school through post-college talent who are interested in applying for a grant or partnering with Power:Ed, should visit power-ed.org.
