Mercyhurst nets grant for new STEM & Vine program in North East

How does a grapevine grow? How tall will it get? How long does it take?

When relevance is infused in the educational process, learning takes on a whole new dimension, a theory that the Mercyhurst University Education Department is banking on as it unveils its new STEM & Vine initiative for K-5 pupils in the North East School District this fall. By presenting Computer Science and Science Technology Engineering and Math (CS/STEM) concepts through the lens of North East’s agricultural community, including its abundance of prime grape vineyards, the content becomes relevant to learners.

Seeing the merits of this innovative approach, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) has awarded Mercyhurst a two-year grant of a half-million dollars. This is the third initiative in Mercyhurst’s ongoing efforts to enhance the academic and physical wellness of hundreds of Erie County’s neediest children, which amounts to a total infusion of $5.5 million over multiple years. The other two programs are the Carpe Diem Academy in Erie city schools and the Mercyhurst Early Learning Innovation Academy (MELIA) in the Northwestern School District.

The latest PDE funding takes the form of an “advancing grant” and is awarded in amounts of up to $500,000 each. The intention is to support broad partnerships and innovative solutions for delivering CS/STEM experiences. See complete list of awardees.

“One does not need to look far in the rural, agriculture-based community of North East to see CS/STEM applications, from the glacial till giving rise to the oldest and largest concord grape region in the world, the modern agricultural equipment that can often be seen driving down Main Street, or the angler reeling in a record-setting steelhead spawning up one of the numerous Lake Erie tributaries that runs through town,” said Education Department Chair Dr. Amy Burniston.

Pupils will have the opportunity to analyze soil composition, extract grape DNA and determine local grape lineage, grow food from seed through hydroponics and preserve their crops through traditional canning methods. They will rear trout eggs in their classrooms and release those trout in a local watershed, while also analyzing watershed quality and potential impacts of industry and agriculture. Coding and robotics units will highlight local industry and the ingenuity of modern farm equipment, such as the grape picker.

“Despite our best efforts, the U.S. continues to lag behind other aspirant nations in our students’ acquisition of STEM skills,” Burniston noted. “Research indicates that unless grounded in the students’ current knowledge base, STEM activities, at best, fail to be of value and, at worst, paint unrealistic pictures of how STEM is applied in the real world.”

She said Mercyhurst focused on North East because it is rich in STEM applications but underserved in opportunities for STEM education to impact workforce development and regional innovation.

The STEM & Vine initiative will be introduced to North East K-5 pupils through after-school programming supported by Mercyhurst faculty and also featured in community presentations. Besides Burniston, others integral to the program’s development and delivery are Education faculty Dr. Susan Johnson, Amy Bauschard, and Dr. Daisy Tian.

Community sessions will provide contextual, hands-on STEM activities, agricultural and related industry tours, farm-to-table meals, and coding camps—all with stakeholder collaboration, Burniston said.

Among the leading community partners are the North East Community Foundation, Erie County Horticultural Society, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Penn State Behrend's Lake Erie Grape Research & Extension Center, Erie Insurance, Erie County Conservation District, North East Arts Council, McCord Memorial Library, and North East in Bloom.

“Through STEM & Vine programming, we are planting the seeds of innovation in young minds while also instilling an appreciation for the rural community they are rooted in,” Burniston said. “This project will not only enhance student knowledge but will strengthen community bonds.”

The new initiative builds on the successes of Mercyhurst’s award-winning Carpe Diem Academy and MELIA. Launched in 2012, the Academy is a nationally recognized K-2 extended-day learning program for inner-city children and their families. The program was just awarded $400,000 from PDE, the fourth installment of a five-year grant totaling $2 million.

Also finding success is MELIA, which launched in 2019 and has since created a pre-K program in the rural Northwestern School District as well as extended-day and weekend learning opportunities for students and families. MELIA recently received $600,000 from PDE, representing the fourth installment of a five-year grant totaling $3 million.

All told, PDE has awarded the Mercyhurst Education Department $1.5 million in the past two weeks to create and sustain these three programs. Taken in their entirety, the multi-year awards stand at $5.5 million.

PHOTO: Dr. Amy Burniston in North East vineyard.