2026 STEM Grant Recipients

MINNDEPENDENT awarded STEM grants totaling $59,012 to 17 member schools for projects to be implemented during the 2026-2027 school year.

INNOVATION GRANTS

This innovative shift strengthens STEM education by increasing accessibility, engagement, and interdisciplinary understanding. By grounding abstract concepts in real-world phenomena, students build foundational skills and confidence that support long-term success in advanced STEM coursework. The redesigned sequence promotes coherence, inclusivity, and sustainability within the school’s STEM curriculum.

Holy Spirit Catholic School – St. Paul
- Becoming a STEM School (Grade K-5)
  Holy Spirit School, a small Catholic school in the St. Paul area, is working to strengthen its STEM identity by becoming the first Catholic STEM school in the community. With a strong team of teachers with STEM backgrounds, the school is transitioning from outdated science units to the nationally recognized Project Lead the Way (PLTW) curriculum. The school has already secured PLTW teacher training through a grant, preparing staff to teach 41 PreK–5 STEM modules. Funding is now being requested to purchase 15 PLTW Launch modules for implementation in the 2026–2027 school year. These NGSS-aligned kits integrate all areas of STEM and culminate in hands-on, project-based learning experiences. In partnership with the Catholic Schools Center of Excellence, Holy Spirit School is also pursuing national STEM certification through the National Institute of STEM Education. This investment will directly support classroom implementation and advance the school’s long-term STEM vision.
Legacy Christian Academy – Andover
- From Experience to Mastery: Expanding Student Access to Woodturning (grades 6 -12)
  This project will serve students in grades 6–12 through our Innovation Lab, supporting STEM, Pro-Tech, and design-thinking coursework. In December, our school invested in two high-quality wood lathes, and we currently have the foundational setup in place. As we prepared for instruction, we identified limitations in student access with only two lathes. This semester is being used intentionally for instructor learning and skill development to ensure safe, thoughtful, and sustainable implementation. Expanding to four lathes will transform woodturning from a brief exposure into a meaningful instructional experience. This enhancement will strengthen STEM education by providing authentic opportunities for students to apply mathematical reasoning, scientific principles, and engineering practices while supporting the growth of high school STEM and Pro-Tech programs.
Maranatha Christian Academy – Brooklyn Park
- Introduction to Aviation Flight Simulator (Grades 9 -12)
  Maranatha Christian Academy seeks STEM grant funding to expand its high school programming through the launch of an Aviation Career Pathway for students interested in aviation and related STEM fields. This pathway will offer foundational coursework, hands-on experiences, and exposure to industry practices that support college and career readiness. To enhance this pathway, MCA is requesting funding for a flight simulator that will serve as a cornerstone experiential learning tool. Through immersive simulation, students will apply concepts in aerodynamics, physics, and engineering by controlling pitch, roll, and yaw while observing Newton’s laws of motion in real time. This experience moves learning beyond memorization, enabling students to test hypotheses, analyze outcomes, and solve problems in dynamic scenarios. The simulator will foster critical thinking, spatial reasoning, and real-time decision-making. This project aligns with MCA’s mission to prepare students to innovate and explore. The Aviation Career Pathway represents a strategic expansion of the school’s vertically aligned STEM program and provides a cohesive, applied learning experience that prepares students for emerging career opportunities.
Mary Queen of Peace Catholic School – Rogers
- Robotics (Grades K-4)
  This project provides equitable, hands-on STEM learning experiences that foster curiosity, creativity, and foundational problem-solving skills for all students in grades K–4. Through inquiry-based activities, design challenges, and age-appropriate technology, students develop confidence while learning to think critically and collaborate effectively. This initiative strengthens STEM education by embedding consistent, high-quality instruction across grade levels and expanding access to hands-on tools and resources. It supports a cohesive K–4 STEM program, enhances student engagement, and builds a strong foundation for future STEM learning while fostering a schoolwide culture of innovation and exploration.

Risen Christ Catholic School – Minneapolis
- 3D Printing Lab (Grades K-8)
  The 3D Printing Innovation Lab will serve students in grades K–8 by integrating technology, mathematics, science, and engineering. Through hands-on, project-based learning, students will design, prototype, and create 3D models that connect directly to classroom instruction and real-world problem-solving. This project expands access to modern STEM tools while strengthening critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration. By embedding 3D printing into the existing curriculum, students move beyond abstract concepts to tangible applications, deepening their understanding of spatial reasoning, measurement, engineering design, and iterative problem-solving. The lab will provide equitable access to emerging technology, support interdisciplinary learning, and serve as a sustainable, schoolwide resource that enhances instruction and student engagement.
Rochester Arts and Sciences Academy (RASA)
- Hands on with Ukuleles (Grades 5 -8)
  The Hands-On with Ukuleles project will provide students in grades 5–8 the opportunity to build their own instruments while learning to use basic tools. Throughout this step-by-step process, students will connect the components they assemble to the science of sound, culminating in a fully personalized instrument they can take pride in and play at home. Students will also explore the history of the ukulele, including how and where instruments are manufactured and sold today. As the music teacher, I look forward to partnering with our middle school science teacher to foster meaningful cross-curricular learning for our students.
St. Boniface Catholic Elementary School – Cold Spring
- 3D Printers (Grades 2 – 6)
  This project will serve approximately 135 students in grades 2–6 at St. Boniface Catholic Elementary School. The printers will primarily be used in the STEM classes attended by all students in grades K–6. This initiative will significantly expand the school’s ability to provide meaningful, modern STEM experiences. It will increase access to technology, inspire creativity, and open pathways for students to think and work as engineers and inventors. The printers will enrich the school’s STEM and maker spaces, support cross-curricular integration, and reflect the school community’s commitment to preparing students for a world shaped by innovation.

St. Croix Montessori School – Stillwater
- STEM Teaching Kitchen: Food, Science, & Systems (Grades 7-8)
  St. Croix Montessori’s Junior High Teaching Kitchen will serve as an interdisciplinary STEM laboratory where students explore chemistry, biology, physics, engineering, environmental systems, nutrition science, and data science through cooking and food systems. This space will function as a core learning environment where STEM and humanities educators collaborate to design integrated, real-world learning experiences. Students will conduct scientific investigations, design engineering solutions, apply mathematical concepts, and explore cultural and environmental connections to food systems. The project will strengthen STEM education by providing hands-on, inquiry-driven learning, expanding access to real-world applications, and fostering partnerships with community experts. It will also build transferable skills, support interdisciplinary thinking, and create meaningful connections between science, sustainability, and daily life.
St. Michael Catholic School – St. Michael
- STEM Building (Grades K-1)
  The STEM Building project aims to transform kindergarten learning through more than 60 developmentally appropriate, hands-on STEM experiences that spark curiosity, deepen understanding, and nurture a love of learning. By blending purposeful, play-based exploration with structured academic instruction, this program supports the whole child, academically, socially, and creatively during a critical stage of development. This project will strengthen STEM education at St. Michael Catholic School by establishing a strong foundation in problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration from the earliest grades. The curriculum aligns with current science and math standards while intentionally integrating literacy, enabling students to make meaningful connections across disciplines. Through authentic, inquiry-based learning, students will build confidence, develop early STEM skills, and benefit from a sustainable model for interdisciplinary instruction that can expand across grade levels.
Totino-Grace High School – Fridley
- Dynamics of Earth and Space Systems (Grade 9)
  This project serves ninth-grade students and focuses on Earth and Space Science, integrating engineering, technology, and mathematics. Its purpose is to redesign the freshman science experience by shifting from freshman physics to Earth and Space Science, creating a more developmentally appropriate and equitable entry point into high school STEM learning. Students will explore Earth systems, space science, weather and climate, energy, and human impact through hands-on investigations, data analysis, modeling, and engineering design challenges. This approach provides multiple entry points for diverse learners while ensuring all students engage in authentic engineering practices in early high school. This innovative shift strengthens STEM education by increasing accessibility, engagement, and interdisciplinary understanding. By grounding abstract concepts in real-world phenomena, students build foundational skills and confidence that support long-term success in advanced STEM coursework. The redesigned sequence promotes coherence, inclusivity, and sustainability within the school’s STEM curriculum.

STARTER GRANTS

Saint Agnes School – St. Paul
- Expanding a 3D Printing Lab (Grades 4 -12)
  The goal of this project is to expand student access to 3D printing technology for the Fundamentals of Engineering class, Engineering Club, and the Summer Enrichment program. Currently, three aging printers operate inconsistently, limiting timely student use and reducing the effectiveness of CAD-based learning. Students often wait several days to print small projects and are frequently unable to complete larger designs due to limited capacity. As a classical academy, students have minimal daily exposure to technology, and with 75% receiving financial assistance, access at home is also limited. This project will provide equitable, hands-on access to 3D printing, an essential tool in many STEM fields—allowing more students to design, create, and fully engage in engineering experiences.
Saint Joseph School – Rosemount
- Get Coding with Sphero Bolt (Grades 4 -8)
   This project will integrate Sphero Bolt robots into our science curriculum. Students will learn the fundamentals of programming, use coding to model experiments, collect and interpret data, explore cause and effect relationships, and engage in iterative problem solving. The overall goal of this project is to make coding accessible while building foundational skills in computational thinking, problem solving, and collaboration. By acquiring eight Sphero robots, students will be able to work in pairs or small teams, maximizing hands-on learning and meaningful collaboration for every learner.
St. John the Baptist Catholic School – Vermillion
- Lego SPIKE Essential for STEM Potential (Grade K-4)
  St. John the Baptist Catholic School in Vermillion, MN, will enhance its K–4 science curriculum by implementing LEGO® SPIKE Essential curriculum kits, supported by the MINNDEPENDENT Starter Grant. These kits will provide all K–4 students with access to hands-on, engaging STEAM learning experiences. SPIKE Essential uses playful, story-based problem-solving to build students’ foundational STEAM knowledge and 21st-century skills. Through collaboration and trial-and-error, students design and test creative solutions using familiar LEGO® elements and interactive technology. The program includes classroom kits, the SPIKE™ app, and comprehensive instructional support. Aligned with NGSS, ISTE, and CSTA standards (with extensions to CCSS), each unit offers five to eight 45-minute lessons with integrated language arts and math connections. This project will strengthen science instruction by connecting hands-on learning to core classroom content for all K–4 students.

SUSTAINABILITY GRANTS

Carondelet Catholic School – Minneapolis
- The sustainability grant will expand our existing grades 3–5 STEM program by increasing access to hands-on engineering and coding experiences using Strawbees, micro:bits, and Makey Makey. This funding will replenish essential consumable materials and add resources such as copper tape, conductive thread, and additional electronics, enabling students to build more complex, real-world circuits and interactive projects. Our goal is to ensure all students, especially those with limited access to STEM opportunities, can engage in meaningful problem-solving, creative design, and data-driven inquiry through increasingly sophisticated maker experiences that integrate coding, engineering, and circuitry.
St. Francis of the Lakes Catholic School – Brainerd
- Cultivating Curiosity: A Greenhouse for Faith, Science, and Service (Grade K-8)
  This sustainability project will enhance our school greenhouse as a hands-on learning environment for students in preschool through eighth grade. By integrating plant science, environmental systems, and data-driven observation, the project supports meaningful STEM learning across grade levels. The goal is to create a sustainable, temperature-controlled greenhouse that enables year-round engagement in the full plant growth cycle. Improved ventilation and climate control will allow students to conduct real-world experiments, build problem-solving skills, and develop a strong sense of environmental stewardship.

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP GRANTS (WE SHARE SOLAR)

This program engages students in hands-on learning focused on solar energy, climate change, social justice, and innovation. Project implementation includes 5–10 hours of lessons and labs, supported by teacher training through an in-person workshop and online course, along with a virtual learning platform for curriculum access and collaboration. Schools receive 2–10 Solar Suitcase kits for building and experimenting with standalone solar systems. The program connects students to global impact through a Solar Suitcase deployment in East Africa, while also providing a lasting local resource for emergency preparedness and ongoing STEM learning in renewable energy.