Mitchell School District to receive portion of $3M federal innovative technology grant – Mitchell Republic
MITCHELL — Seventeen South Dakota school districts are set to receive thousands of dollars in Career and Technical Education Innovation Equipment Grants, including the Mitchell School District and two other surrounding area districts.
Mitchell received a $232,868 grant, with the hopes of purchasing new equipment for the Mitchell Career and Technical Education Academy.
The Mitchell project was summarized as "labor shortage, the need for efficiency, and competition has pushed the world of manufacturing toward robotic welders. The Mitchell Career and Technical Education Academy will train students for the new equipment used in manufacturing jobs by including cobot robotic welders."
Tiffany Sanderson, South Dakota secretary of Education, explained that the grants will change lives.
"The equipment schools purchase with these grants will open students' eyes to amazing career opportunities in their backyards," said Sanderson. "They are taking their CTE programs to the cutting-edge, helping students master industry standards, learn from employers in their local communities, and develop skills for high-demand, high-wage fields in South Dakota."
Two local school districts were given portions of the grant, including the Bon Homme school district and the Platte-Geddes school district.
The Bon Homme district received $195,500, with which they plan to purchase welding and CNC equipment to augment their current Ag, Food, and Natural Resources program in the hopes that it will significantly expand opportunities and develop necessary skills for the modern workplace.
The Platte-Geddes school district received $200,046 from the grant. The district plans to add a Switch Vehicles program to allow Platte-Geddes students the opportunity to learn about electricity, renewable energy and other advanced technologies in the field of electric vehicles.
A total of $3 million will be given out and was funded with federal dollars available to the Department of Education through the American Rescue Plan and the Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund.
Gloss