RCA awarded $10K Bosch grant

Rockdale Career Academy (RCA) was recently awarded a $10,000 grant from the Bosch Community Fund for an “Innovation Station” mobile makerspace. 

The mobile makerspace, which will be created by Manufacturing Career Pathway and Construction Career Pathway students at RCA, will provide opportunities for students in all grades, K-12, to understand and implement design thinking, project-based learning, problem-solving and 21st century skills that will help to prepare students for life outside of the classroom. This space will introduce students to STEM concepts and provide opportunities for collaboration and creativity. 

“Students need to graduate with the skills of creativity and innovation,” said RCA CEO Ben McCumber. “There are essential elements of educating young people to become innovators. This includes hands-on projects where students have to solve a real-world problem and demonstrate mastery, the opportunity to draw upon academic content from multiple disciplines to solve a problem, and learning to work in teams. This allows students to get engaged in new and exciting ways.” 

The Bosch Community Fund strives to ensure that creative and practical science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning opportunities are accessible to students through project-based experiences.  (Pictured) Left to right: RCA Construction Teacher Brett Creel, Rockdale County Public Schools CTAE Director Dionne Johnigan, RCA Manufacturing Teacher Jesse Smith, RCA CEO Bennett McCumber, Steve Dyar of Bosch.