Kaleideum Announces $2.25M Gift Toward STEAM Education

The children's education organization Kaleideum has received a gift of $2.2 million toward enhancing its programs for pre-K through 12th-grade students in Winston-Salem.

The gift comes from the L. David Mounts Foundation, and is meant to promote creative, inquiry-based learning in STEAM education, encompassing science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. 

Much of the funding will go toward housing the Mounts Robotics Center, where students will gain hands-on experience building robots and drones, and learn about integrated technology. It will also help create an endowment for Prism, the museum's engineering and innovation initiative.

The funding includes a $500,000 matching challenge to local businesses and individuals.

Elizabeth Dampier, Kaleideum's Executive Director, says in a news release that the gift will be transformative, allowing many programs to be free or scholarship-based for participants from low-income households. The Prism Initiative is also meant to bolster STEAM learning for traditionally underserved populations.

Kaleideum was formed in 2016 through a merger of the Children's Museum of Winston-Salem and SciWorks.