Pantheon

Sep 15, 2021

Purdue, Pantheon Partner on STEM Program Wednesday, September 15th 2021, 8:32 AM EDT Updated: By Reed Parker, Writer/Reporter (photo provided by Indiana Landmarks) VINCENNES - Knox County high school students will have access to a new STEM program through a partnership between the Pantheon Theatre business incubator in Vincennes and Purdue University. The Pantheon says Hardware Store Science is designed to build interest and aptitude for careers in technical and advanced manufacturing. The program will be offered to all high schools in the county as a hands-on physics and chemistry curriculum developed by Purdue's Davidson School of Chemical Engineering. It was developed by Professor Jim Caruthers to teach "the fundamentals of physics and chemistry through the making and testing of experimental apparatuses from materials available at a local hardware store." The Knox County Community Foundation awarded a $100,000 Lilly Gift VII grant to the Pantheon that will provide teacher training, materials, stipends and a middle school student summer STEM camp over a five-year period. The Pantheon says more than 200 students are signed up for the inaugural program at Vincennes Lincoln High School. The program will be extended to other Knox County high schools over the next four years.