KANNAPOLIS — Kannapolis City Schools is on the receiving end of more than $41,000 as one of the 20 North Carolina public school units (PSUs) benefiting from nearly $1 million in grants intended to expand and enrich Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education.

The Increasing Engagement in STEM grants, included in the most recent budget by the General Assembly, provide funds to PSUs to engage grades 6-8 students in experiential STEM education programs.

The grant opportunity generated significant interest across the state, with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) receiving 68 applications — 43 from local education agencies (LEAs), or school districts and 25 from charter schools.

“We know that STEM education is imperative for students to truly be competitive and keep up with workforce needs after graduation,” State Superintendent Catherine Truitt said. “Allowing educators the opportunity to experiment with new ways of learning STEM is an incredible way to not only get students involved, but to also get them excited about STEM and all the possibilities that come with an education in STEM.”

The full list of awardees include five charter schools and represent all eight educational regions of the state. The North Carolina public school units named as grant recipients are:

Public School Unit	Grant Amount
Cape Fear Center for Inquiry	$23,551.00
Chatham Charter	$14,345.00
Guilford Preparatory Academy	$50,000.00
Northeast Academy for Aerospace & Advanced Technologies	$41,000.00
North East Carolina Preparatory	$80,000.00
Alleghany County Schools	$26,674.00
Asheville City Schools	$68,341.67
Greene County Schools	$56,000.00
Madison County Schools	$50,000.00
Northampton County Schools	$59,975.00
Columbus County Schools	$50,000.00
Kannapolis City Schools	$41,300.00
Moore County Schools	$50,000.00
Vance County Schools	$50,000.00
Wayne County Public Schools	$39,144.43
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools	$49,900.00
Iredell-Statesville Schools	$42,055.00
Johnston County Public Schools	$50,000.00
Wake County Schools	$125,200.00
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools	$28,060.00