Photo Provided Chemours and Discovery World on Market announced a $350,000 S.T.E.M. education grant through the Chemours Vibrant Communities initiative. From left: Tim Byrd, Chemours vice president of operations; Tres Ross, chairman of the board for Discovery World on Market; James Hollingsworth, Chemours Washington Works Plant manager; Sierra Gard, Chemours Washington Works value stream and community engagement leader; Gerardo Familiar, Chemours president of Advanced Performance Materials Business; Wendy Shriver, executive director of Discovery World on Market; Keith McClung, board member of Discovery World on Market.

PARKERSBURG — The Chemours Co. has awarded a $350,000 multi-year S.T.E.M. education grant for Discovery World on Market children’s museum.

The grant is through Chemours’ Vibrant Communities initiative and will be supported with volunteers from Chemours’ Washington Works site in Parkersburg.

“Discovery World on Market is so excited for this opportunity to develop the next generation of learners, thinkers and creators with this investment from the Chemours Co.,” said Wendy Shriver, executive director of Discovery World on Market. “We are looking forward to working with their employees to deliver fun, hands-on S.T.E.M. learning at the museum.”

The exhibits include the Ball Factory where a central climbing structure provides children with a graduated series of safe, yet challenging physical obstacles and surrounding kinetic ball activities that draw inspiration from factory processes.

A River Adventure exhibit provides children with imaginative play and S.T.E.M. activities, a Makerspace area provides the opportunity for kids to work together on projects while sharing ideas, equipment and knowledge and a Design Studio that encourages problem solving with a variety of materials, creative platforms and testing apparatuses.

As a hands-on entry point for S.T.E.M. concepts as well as experimentation and design-thinking, the activities guide young visitors through creative and technical processes while providing authentic encounters with materials, tools, and technology.

The Chemours grant will provide admission passes for underserved children and their families to experience all that the museum offers and will also provide funding and Chemours volunteers for Science Saturdays when kids and visitors of all ages will be introduced to S.T.E.M. concepts in a fun and engaging, hands-on manner. Science Saturdays will be similar in format to the Fun with Science program Chemours volunteers present at area schools.

“Investing our time, talents and resources and supporting the communities where we live, play and work is part of our Corporate Responsibility Commitment,” said Sierra Gard, Chemours’ Washington Works community engagement leader. “Everyone on our team at Chemours’ Washington Works is ecstatic about this opportunity to partner with the Discovery World Museum and to share their love of S.T.E.M. with the next generation of problem solvers.”