Bank of America, Duke Energy and UTC Aerospace Systems Joined Forces to Launch New STEM Educator Development Program

CHARLOTTE – Discovery Place celebrated the opening of the new Discovery Place Education Studio today in a ceremonial ribbon cutting at Bank of America STEM Center for Career Development. Charlotte dignitaries and Founding Partners from Bank of America, Duke Energy, UTC Aerospace Systems and OrthoCarolina joined Discovery Place leaders in celebrating the generous commitment of corporations, foundations, organizations and individuals in the Charlotte community whose support have made the program possible.

Discovery Place Education Studio is a professional development program serving pre K-12 educators and administrators from schools, museums, science centers, zoos and aquariums. Programs will provide ongoing educator professional development in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) throughout the Southeast.

“After 25 years of providing professional development to educators, Discovery Place Education Studio opens a new chapter of offerings that are designed to bring inspiration to the teaching of science, technology, engineering and math. Thanks to our Founding Partners, this investment in our community’s educators will allow the Education Studio to reach hundreds of teachers each year, impacting tens of thousands of students throughout the Carolinas,” said Discovery Place Inc. president and CEO, Catherine Wilson Horne.

Discovery Place Education Studio was announced in June 2013 as a community resource that will provide pre K-12 educators with the skills necessary to become inspiring teachers of STEM. This program has been made possible by the generous gifts and support of many community partners, including Bank of America, who is providing exclusive access to the Bank of America STEM Center for Career Development to host the program; Duke Energy, whose funding will make programs accessible to educators across the state; and, UTC Aerospace Systems, whose gift will help support programs as well as building renovations.

“Introducing and providing resources to teach STEM to Charlotte educators and students is critical for Charlotte’s future,” said Charles Bowman, North Carolina and Charlotte market president for Bank of America. “We have proudly partnered with Discovery Place on a number of local educational initiatives, but the opening of the Discovery Place Education Studio in the Bank of America STEM Center for Career Development is an achievement for the city and our region that will impact teachers and students for years to come.”

“This is going to be a great summer for hundreds of educators across the state. What they learn at the STEM Center will enhance student learning back in the classrooms this fall. Duke Energy is pleased that our financial support helped make Discovery Place Education Studio possible,” said Stick Williams, vice president, Duke Energy Foundation and Community Affairs.

"UTC Aerospace Systems is proud to partner with Discovery Place and other STEM Education Studio corporate sponsors to support teacher education that inspires students to embrace science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). We support the development of the next generation of engineers and scientists by investing in programs such as the Education Studio, that will ultimately spark students’ interest and inspire innovation” said Cynthia Forbes, Manager of Community Affairs.

Since the initial announcement, additional Founding Partners have invested in the development of the Center and its programs including OrthoCarolina, PPG Foundation, Domtar, Blumenthal Foundation, Flextronics, Nicole and Chris Perri, Tracey and Rich Campbell, Lynette and Bill Morrissett, Electrolux and NISEnet. With their support, over $1 million has been raised for the program.

Discovery Place, Inc. continues to raise funds and develop partnerships for Discovery Place Education Studio in order to reach more educators and impact more students. In the meantime, classes are now open for educator registration. Focusing on a variety of offerings including content knowledge, technology training and field experiences, professional development programs and workshops combine best practices in formal and informal education and offer teachers skills and tools that can be adapted to meet the needs of their own classrooms.

Educator courses and workshops begin next week, starting with the inaugural WestEd Energy Facilitation Academy where teachers will learn to support students' literacy needs in science by collaboratively investigating the art of facilitation and looking at strategies for promoting evidence-based conversations among teachers. Other upcoming workshops include an ROV Building Workshop, WestEd Force & Motion Teacher Workshop and a NASA Innovations course.

For a full list of classes and information on registration, visit educationstudio.org, or call 704.372.6261 x505 from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Monday – Friday.

About Discovery Place Education Studio

Discovery Place Education Studio is a professional development program serving pre K-12 educators from schools, museums, science centers, zoos and aquariums. The Education Studio will provide ongoing professional development in science, technology, engineering and math to educators throughout the Southeast. It is the first WestEd Making Sense of SCIENCE professional development partner on East Coast.

The Education Studio is uniquely located adjacent to Discovery Place at Bank of America STEM Center for Career Development. Convenient parking is available in Discovery Place’s parking deck – the Carol Grotnes Belk Complex – at the corner of Sixth and Church Streets. For more information, visit educationstudio.org or call 704.372.6261 x 505.

Discovery Place, Inc. owns and operates Discovery Place, Charlotte Nature Museum, Discovery Place KIDS in Huntersville and Rockingham and is supported, in part, with funding from the Arts & Science Council.

Bank of America Corporate Social Responsibility

Bank of America’s commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a strategic part of doing business globally. Our CSR efforts guide how we operate in a socially, economically, financially and environmentally responsible way around the world, to deliver for shareholders, customers, clients and employees. Our goal is to help create economically vibrant regions and communities through lending, investing and giving. By partnering with our stakeholders, we create value that empowers individuals and communities to thrive and contributes to the long-term success of our business. We have several core areas of focus for our CSR, including responsible business practices; environmental sustainability; strengthening local communities with a focus on housing, hunger and jobs; investing in global leadership development; and engaging through arts and culture. As part of these efforts, employee volunteers across the company contribute their time, passion and expertise to address issues in communities where they live and work. Learn more at www.bankofamerica.com/aboutand follow us on Twitter at @BofA_Community.

About the Duke Energy Foundation

The Duke Energy Foundation, along with employee and retiree volunteers, actively works to improve the quality of life in its communities, lending expertise in the form of leadership and financial support through grants to charitable organizations. Duke Energy has long been committed to building and supporting the communities in which its customers and employees live and work. The Duke Energy Foundation invests more than $25 million annually for community support and charitable contributions.

About UTC Aerospace Systems

UTC Aerospace Systems designs, manufactures, and services integrated systems and components for the aerospace and defense industries. UTC Aerospace Systems supports a global customer base with significant worldwide manufacturing and customer service facilities.

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"After 25 years of providing professional development to educators, Discovery Place Education Studio opens a new chapter of offerings that are designed to bring inspiration to the teaching of science, technology, engineering and math. Thanks to our Founding Partners, this investment in our community’s educators will allow the Education Studio to reach hundreds of teachers each year, impacting tens of thousands of students throughout the Carolinas,”
Catherine Wilson Horne, Discovery Place Inc. president and CEO