AT&T Foundation Awards Technology Grant to Mercy Academy
Grant to Enhance Rapid Development of STEM Program
(Louisville, Ky.) – The Catholic Education Foundation of Louisville (the “Foundation”) and Mercy Academy today jointly announced that the AT&T Foundation has awarded a $10,000 grant to support Mercy Academy’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (“STEM”) programs. This grant provides funding to the school for a DJ Inspire2 Drone Package and complimentary high-tech imaging components. A press conference will be held at the Mercy Academy auditorium on Friday, September 22 at 11:00 a.m.
The implementation of the drone will directly impact 72 students, but will indirectly impact the entire school through collaborations with the other STEM areas as well as business and broadcast programs. Students will use drone technology to create a viable drone prototype, market a company, and test their prototype using professional grade technology.
“AT&T has a historic commitment to supporting quality education across the United States, and the efforts being made by the Catholic Education Foundation to promote student success and leadership are great examples of the type of commitment that is necessary to help ensure that our students have the best opportunities for college and career readiness,” said Hood Harris, president of AT&T Kentucky. “Through AT&T Aspire, we are investing in students, technology and social innovations to create a capable and diverse workforce that will thrive in our communities and the twenty-first century economy.”
Foundation President Richard A. Lechleiter remarked, “Thanks to the amazing generosity of AT&T, students enrolled in the Mercy STEM program will continue to have accelerated access to real-world learning opportunities through technology and business development opportunities.”
Mercy STEM instructor Stephen Hammer noted, “My students are very excited to get their hands on the new drone technology. They are already mastering flight plans and have begun implementing the technology to solve real world problems! “
About Philanthropy & Social Innovation at AT&T
AT&T Inc. is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its community initiatives, AT&T has a long history of investing in projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; or address community needs. AT&T Aspire is AT&T’s signature philanthropic initiative that drives innovation in education by bringing diverse resources to bear on the issue including funding, technology, employee volunteerism, and mentoring. Through Aspire, we’ve passed the $250 million mark on our plan to invest $350 million in education from 2008-2017.
About Mercy Academy
The Academy of Our Lady of Mercy (Mercy Academy) is an all-female Catholic high school in Louisville, Ky., that exists to serve young women by empowering them through an innovative approach to education that prepares students for real life within a warm and caring Catholic community. Mercy Academy is committed to offering a varied curriculum to a range of students seeking preparation for college, for work in an age of rapid change and, most important, for the real world. Mercy Academy focuses on the individual student. Educators strive to develop each young woman to her greatest potential and encourage her to pass on the spiritual, cultural, social and intellectual heritage entrusted to her.
About the Catholic Education Foundation
For over 200 years, Catholic schools have contributed significantly to the social, spiritual and economic fabric of our community. The Catholic Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to the growth and vitality of Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Louisville. Since 1999, the Foundation has awarded over $29 million in support of Catholic education. Visit the Foundation at www.ceflou.org.
