2 schools receive STEM grants

Upper Greenwood Lake and Maple Road elementary schools in West Milford were awarded grants for cutting-edge classroom projects that focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

The Orange and Rockland Utilities (O&R) STEM Classroom Grants program provided funding totaling about $50,000 for more than 50 STEM projects within its service area.

The grants were awarded based on a review of teacher-submitted proposals by the O&R STEM Education Advisory Council, a panel of educators and engineers assembled by the utility for the grants.

During the past nine years, O&R has awarded 365 STEM Classroom Grants totaling more than $341,000. Those grants ranged from $185 to $1,000.

“O&R is proud to support our teachers and students with STEM grants that can help to create future leaders in science, technology, engineering and math,” president and chief executive Robert Sanchez said.

O&R is a regulated utility that provides electric service to about 300,000 customers in southeastern New York state and northern New Jersey, where it’s known as Rockland Electric Co. It also provides natural gas service to about 130,000 customers in New York.