As part of our commitment to STEM education, the UTRS Charitable Fund recently provided a grant to support STEM at the Sir Isaac Newton Elementary (SINE) School in Newark, NJ.

The funding will allow the school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA) to launch its first STEM Family + Community Initiative to deliver hands-on exposure to science, technology, engineering, and math to their students, families, and surrounding communities.

SINE PTA aims to serve over 700 children, family member, and community members, including the 250 students attending school there from pre-kindergarten through 5th grade.

This effort will make a significant impact by providing SINE students and the surrounding community, which includes several low- and moderate-income neighborhoods, opportunities to meaningfully engage in the sciences and see themselves as scientists.

“Our work at UTRS is deeply rooted in STEM disciplines, so we take great pride in expanding the educational opportunities for young students who may not otherwise have that exposure,” said David Zalcmann, Chief Operating Officer of UTRS.

The initiative includes the distribution of at-home kits created by the SINE PTA, to welcome new students and  provide at-home activities that families can do with their children; the hosting of several Science, Math, and Literacy Nights; and the establishment of several after-school programs.

A member of the SINE PTA is also an employee at UTRS.

“This is a perfect example of how the UTRS Charitable Fund can benefit the communities of those  who work for UTRS,” Zalcmann said. “The fund is continually evaluating these types of opportunities.”

The UTRS Charitable Fund is a donor advised fund that is maintained and operated by a section 501(c)(3) sponsoring organization. In addition to the funds contributed by UTRS, we hold fundraising campaigns to reach out to our network to raise more funds and increase the impact of our collective giving.