STEM Academy teacher Julia West, center, accepts Northrop Grumman’s donation for a Greenpower car at Discovery Middle School. Northrop officials joined Mayor Troy Trulock, Discovery Assistant Principal Kim Stewart and coordinator of secondary instruction Dr. Heather Donaldson for the presentation. (CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – A donation from Northrop Grumman will fund a new initiative at Madison City Schools STEM Academy (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) located at Discovery Middle School.

Northrop Grumman donated $8,000 to purchase a formula kit for students to build a formula-24 ‘Greenpower car.’ Siemens Corporation also is supporting the program. The grant will allow academy instructors to buy other needed supplies.

Greenpower electric cars represent breaking technology for efficient transportation. Students must learn to work with mechanical and aerodynamic friction, electrical resistance, battery discharge efficiency and other aspects. STEM Academy students will build the car, and the Discovery Race Car Team will run it in competitions.

Northrop officials joined STEM Academy teacher Julia West, Discovery Principal Eric Terrell, Assistant Principal Kim Stewart, coordinator of secondary instruction Dr. Heather Donaldson and Madison Mayor Troy Trulock for the check presentation on Sept. 3 at the STEM Academy.

The company will also provide mentors to discuss STEM-related careers. These professionals will demonstrate ways in which the students can apply the technology that they learn in jobs for today’s workforce.

“Northrop Grumman’s Greenpower car initiative at Discovery Middle School will allow our employees the opportunity to work with students on a real-world STEM project,” Dan Verwiel said. Verwiel is vice president and general manager for Integrated Air and Missile Defense with Northrop Grumman Information Systems.

“We are committed to STEM education and understand the value of reaching students at the middle-school level,” Verwiel said about Northrop Grumman relying heavily on schools to train tomorrow’s workforce. Northrop Grumman Corporate Vice President Kevin also participated in the presentation.

The STEM Academy is located behind (west) of Discovery’s main building at 1304 Hughes Road.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cyber, logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers. For more information, visit northropgrumman.com.