Chicago City Wire

State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) commends Phillips Academy after the institution was awarded a $12 million grant to fund an interdisciplinary STEM-based curriculum.

The funding will allow the institution, in Illinois' 3rd District, to establish a new Project Lead The Way Engineering Program, with a focus on developing engineering skills, while simultaneously bolstering students' problem solving and critical thinking skills.

"Today I am congratulating Phillips Academy for being awarded a grant to support a hands-on, interdisciplinary STEM-based curriculum that prepares students for life beyond the classroom," Sen. Mattie Hunter wrote in a Facebook post.

The initiative by Ardagh Group will drive the $12 million investment as part of a multi-year program, according a release on Hunter's site. Ardagh Group's Chairman and CEO, Paul Coulson, projects the company’s investment to rise to $50 million over the next 10 years. 

“Phillips Academy could not be more deserving of this award,” Hunter said. “I am so proud of all the students and faculty who have worked hard during the pandemic, and I am excited for the opportunities this grant will provide.”

Ardagh Group is a global supplier of recyclable metal and glass, and a nonprofit organization seeking transformative change inside the classroom. Over 15,000 programs in more than 12,200 schools currently offer PLTW programs, the release reports.

“With this grant, Phillips students will be able to better plan for a successful future,” Hunter said. “The possibilities for success are endless when you give young people the proper resources to excel.”