The Snoqualmie Tribe recently awarded the Snoqualmie Valley School District a $25,000 grant for training teachers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education at the high school’s new freshman campus, scheduled to open this fall.

This grant, the proposal for which was written by parent volunteer Nancy Baker, represents a $10,000 increase in support from the Tribe. Last year, the Tribe awarded $15,000 to the district.

School District Superintendent Joel Aune announced receipt of the grant to about 175 attendants at the March 28 Snoqualmie Valley Schools Foundation fundraising luncheon. The foundation will facilitate the grant from the Tribe.

“Because of this investment from the Snoqualmie Tribe, essential training that our teachers at the freshman campus will need to expand our district’s STEM programming, will be provided for them, with minimal impact on our budget,” said Aune. “We have, in the Snoqualmie Tribe, a valued partner, and we thank them for their generosity.”

The keynote speaker of the luncheon, Dr. Nitin Baliga, a professor and Director of Integrative Biology at the Institute for Systems Biology, also addressed STEM, asking if schools were preparing students to identify and solve complex problems. He also offered a vision of what needs to take place in schools to encourage students to pursue STEM careers and develop a solid foundation for critical thinking.