The Generac Foundation has awarded a $10,000 grant to the Georgia Youth Science & Technology Centers, Inc. (GYSTC) to support Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs in nine elementary schools in the Richmond County School System. 

“Skills gained from exposure to STEM enable students to ask questions and think critically,” said Amanda Buice, executive director of GYSTC. “Scientific thinking and understanding are essential for all people as they navigate the world, not just for STEM professionals, but we do believe that by creating interest and enthusiasm for STEM and by providing young children with problem-solving skills, we will encourage more of them to pursue STEM studies and careers like those needed at Generac. We are thankful to Generac for this investment in us and youth in our community.”

The Generac-funded grant aims to inspire the next generation of problem-solvers by providing students with hands-on robotic learning opportunities and access to innovative STEM curriculum. The funding will also support the expansion of elementary STEM exploratory classes and provide professional learning for teachers in emerging technologies. The initiative was launched this year with schools receiving class sets of programmable robots and will be fully implemented across nine schools next year. In total, the initiative has the potential to reach more than 4,000 students annually. 

“This grant opens the door for our students to engage with STEM in a hands-on, meaningful way,” said Eric Lewis, principal of Lamar-Milledge Elementary School. “We’re excited to expand our STEAM efforts by launching a robotics club and integrating these tools into our fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms. Opportunities like this allow our students to think critically, collaborate, and see themselves as future innovators.” 

In 2025, more than 82,000 youth and young adults from across the U.S. and Canada participated in STEM programs supported by Generac and the Generac Foundation. The organization has facilities in Augusta, GA, and Trenton, SC, and focuses most of its corporate and Foundation giving where they have operations and employees. Generac is a publicly traded energy technology company headquartered in Wisconsin.