DTE Energy Foundation and Cranbrook Institute of Science Partner to Bring STEM Programming to Detroit Area Students

DETROIT, Feb. 1, 2017

The new DTE People Power Place Outreach Initiative will help students develop important comprehension and skills in fields related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). In 2016 the DTE Energy Foundation provided grant support over a three-year period, which allows Cranbrook educators to bring science to middle school students in grades six through eight.

"Supporting educational initiatives, especially in the areas of STEM, has always been a top priority of the DTE Energy Foundation," said Faye Nelson, vice president at DTE Energy and board chair and president of the DTE Energy Foundation. "By partnering with the Cranbrook Institute of Science, we're helping to bring enriching educational experiences for students in underserved areas, from world-class science experts that are based right here in our own backyard."

All programming includes hand-on opportunities using appropriate objects and artifacts from the Institute's collections to create unique classroom experiences that are Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) aligned. This will provide students the opportunity to interact with actual oil shale, coal, and local bedrock to better understand geology, and witness the power of electricity by building their own simple circuits using light bulbs and buzzers.    

"The DTE Energy Foundation and Cranbrook Institute of Science share a common mission in helping to make sure students are skilled in science and math," said Dr. Stafford, director, Cranbrook Institute of Science. "People Power Place gives us the chance to show students how exciting science is." 

On February 1, from 10:30 am until 12:30 pm, Trevor Lauer, president and COO, DTE Electric, and Cranbrook Institute of Science Director Dr. Michael Stafford, will visit Boyd Arthurs Middle School in Trenton. While there, they'll participate in partnership programs focusing on geology and electricity being presented to students in grades 6 through 8.