CARLSBAD, New Mexico — Salado Isolation Mining Contractors (SIMCO) recently presented an $11,000 donation to the Inspired by Science organization as part of its community commitment to support local STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education at the elementary school level. Through its contribution, SIMCO continues as an Inspired by Science ‘Community Lab Partner’ which enables the purchase of new science equipment and materials that are critical to providing a quality experience for ‘young scientists’.
“SIMCO is proud to continue partnering with Inspired by Science and its founder and CEO, Deena Antiporda,” to provide opportunities for critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation, said Dr. Joy James-Foster, SIMCO Education Outreach Lead.
Inspired by Science was established in 2013 by Deena and Mike Antiporda with their three young sons, and it has thrived with the help of many dedicated volunteers who help make the organization successful. Its purpose is to promote STEM education at the elementary school level through hands-on science experiences that are both educational and fun in hopes of inspiring students to pursue education and careers in STEM-related fields.
Deena was inspired to create this program because of the extreme interest her son had in science at a very young age.
“He asked me to do science experiments with him starting in the second grade, and his love of science was so contagious that I found myself looking for more experiments to do,” she said. “It occurred to me that we could create a program that would provide opportunities for our community’s youth to do hands-on STEM activities and learn so much from them. This program is near and dear to my heart because it started as an organization run by my family in our kitchen and has grown to become a 501(c)(3) organization supported by a team of 30 people.”
Inspired by Science’s main event is a summer STEM camp, which is held every year on the campus of Southeast New Mexico College during the first week of June. Volunteers train and prepare for a variety of science activities and ensure that the young scientists have a safe, educational, and fun-filled experience.
The partnership between SIMCO and Inspired by Science helps the young scientists to participate in Inspired by Science events.
About SIMCO
Salado Isolation Mining Contractors (SIMCO) was formed to support the mission of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. SIMCO is a single-purpose entity comprised of Bechtel National, Inc. SIMCO utilizes Los Alamos Technical Associates as a New Mexico-based small business teaming subcontractor.
