New Martinsville, West Virginia
In New Martinsville, Bayer has formed Partnerships in Education with five local schools—Magnolia High School, Washington Lands Elementary School, St. Francis Xavier School, Our Lady of Peace School and St. Michael Parish School. Some of the science-related activities include chemical demonstrations in the classroom or at other special programs, plant tours for science classes, class visits to the NASA Challenger Learning Center at Wheeling Jesuit University, and outstanding science and math student awards.
Also, Bayer employees participate in career fairs, serve as judges for science fairs, and help students and parents on “how to do” a science fair project.
Two of the partner elementary schools participate in ORSANCO’s (Ohio River Valley Sanitation Commission) Riverwatch Program with the help of Bayer employees involved in the partnership. This program includes sampling and testing the quality of water in the Ohio River.
The Bayer/PPG Community Advisory Panel (CAP) sponsors a mini-grant program for local schools to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of science and environmental issues. The program funds projects that enrich science classroom experiences or carry out extracurricular science activities.
Finally, the Bayer-spearheaded WV-Handle on Science Project is a science education reform program that implements the National Science Resources Center hands-on, inquiry-based curriculum into elementary school classrooms.