AMHERST — The Hitchcock Center for the Environment has received $80,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grants geared toward environmental education.
The Hitchcock Center will use the money for a program called Schools Exploring Engineering, Design and Sustainability (SEEDS), which seeks to enable youth to develop problem solving skills related to water quality, air quality and climate change. Students and their teachers will explore the intersections of engineering, technology and design and their critical role in meeting many of the environmental challenges that confront society today.
This project will use design and engineering challenges to help students understand the idea of using nature-based solutions to address environmental challenges, identify new career pathways, get excited and inspired about science and nature and stay hopeful about climate change solutions. Students will be able to apply the tools and concepts of systems thinking in their present lives, and to inform the choices that will affect our future.
Over two year, the center will work with Title I schools in four districts representing rural underserved communities western Massachusetts, engaging approximately 16 classrooms and 400 students in fifth grade. Each class will participate in four design challenges (water filtration, stormwater management, erosion control and air quality), including a field trip to the Hitchcock Center to see nature-based solutions in action.
Subawards to participating schools will support student transportation, classroom materials, and student action projects. This project will develop, test, and refine the program model with these schools, ensuring sustainable future learning.
BOSTON — Two regional school districts and the city of Easthampton have landed state grants to enhance cybersecurity initiatives and reduce cyber risk.
The grants, among $7 million statewide, went to Frontier Regional School District ($20,000), Gateway Regional School District ($9,860), and Easthampton ($84,357).
Funding for both programs was secured through the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program, offered to states by the US Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The program prioritized funding for projects in rural communities, which FEMA defines as any community with a population less than 50,000. At least 84 of the grants were awarded to municipalities meeting FEMA’s definition of rural. Additional grants were awarded to regional divisions of government, such as county government and regional school districts, that benefit multiple communities, including rural towns.
Allowable projects under the grant programs include implementing multifactor authentication, migration to a .gov domain, development of a written cybersecurity incident response plan, tabletop exercises, and cybersecurity awareness training.
HOLYOKE — Spots remain open for summer sports camps at Holyoke Community College.
Starting Monday, July 29, and running through Friday, Aug. 2, HCC is offering a comprehensive youth soccer clinic led by Rob Galazka, head coach of the HCC women’s soccer team. The clinic, for youth aged 8 to 17, will focus on both basic and advanced soccer skills with plenty of one-on-one instruction from Galazka, with assistance from top players on the HCC women’s team.
Starting Monday, Aug. 5, and running through Friday, Aug. 9, head HCC baseball coach Ryan Magni will lead a baseball clinic for youth aged 8 to 17. This fun-filled, challenging program will emphasize fundamental skills and baseball knowledge while building self-confidence and developing every player’s ability to play more competitively.
Both programs run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day on the main HCC campus, 303 Homestead Ave., and cost $299.
To register, visit hcc.edu/summer-youth