INDIANA – Indiana Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith announced St. Joan of Arc Catholic School as an award recipient of the 2025 NLGA Lieutenant Governors’ STEM Scholarship Program.
NLGA will award the school $500 as part of a national call for applications for funding STEM programming and curriculum in schools.
“Congratulations to St. Joan of Arc Catholic School for receiving the 2025 NLGA Lieutenant Governors’ STEM Scholarship,” Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith said. “This grant will fund outdoor, hands-on activities, which introduce elementary students to STEM in a new way. Investing in our kids’ education is one of the best ways to secure a brighter future for Indiana.”
Integrating science and technology with outdoor exploration, orienteering combines map and compass navigation with an interactive, team-based approach. The NLGA STEM Scholarship will support a week of outdoor activities that emphasize communication, problem-solving, and experiential learning for elementary students at an urban Indianapolis school.
NLGA opened the application period for the STEM Scholarship Program in January 2025. The application process was competitive, with NLGA receiving more than 125 requests for STEM funding from schools in 32 states and territories. Twelve schools in 12 states and territories were awarded $500 – $1,000 for STEM-related expenses.
“As the seconds-in-command in state and territorial government, lieutenant governors are uniquely poised to lead on STEM education,” said NLGA Executive Director Kellie Rittershausen. “By supporting STEM-related activities in schools across the country, we can encourage a long-term interest and passion in STEM education in America’s youth.”
The Scholarship Program is administered by NLGA, the nonpartisan, nonprofit association for the nation’s seconds-in-command, and sponsored by ACT, the education and career readiness nonprofit.
“ACT is proud to have been the sponsor of the NLGA STEM scholarship program since its inception and to see its growth and impact over the past 4 years,” ACT CEO Janet Godwin said. “STEM education is crucial for our country’s future workforce, which will be increasingly reliant on the critical thinking and problem-solving skills it fosters, regardless of a student’s college or career pathway. ACT is uniquely poised to meet this moment, and working alongside NLGA, we are committed to ensuring that all students leave high school prepared to enter a world of evolving postsecondary and work opportunities, including those for which a high-quality STEM education is essential.”
Public, private, and tribal schools serving students from pre–K to 12th grade in the 50 states and five U.S. territories were invited to apply for funding to support STEM-related activities, programming, curriculum, equipment, and other expenses.
Funding will be provided to all winning schools in May.
Additional information on the STEM Scholarship Program can be found at https://nlga.us/strategies/nlga-state-strategies-in-stem/.
