LANCASTER—Amazon presented students and staff from Lancaster ISD George Washington Carver 6th Grade STEM Learning Center with a $10,000 check after they were the first group of students to ever tour the Fort Worth Robotics Fulfillment Center.
“In Lancaster ISD we are very proud of being a K-12 STEM district,” Lancaster ISD Superintendent Elijah Granger said. “We are so excited about our partnership with Amazon and their generous donation to assist our scholars at George Washington Carver STEM Learning Center.”
Students from the school were invited to be the first group to tour the Fort Worth Amazon Fulfillment Robotics facility. At the close of their tour, a robot delivered a special package in the form of the check to them wrapped in a bow.
“The Amazon Team truly made the magic happen for our students that day,” Lancaster ISD Career and Technical Education Director said. “They blew us away with their tour and donation. It is organizations like Amazon that give our students hope for a bright future and opens their eyes to the world of possibilities.”
Sixth Grade scholar Sydney Surrell said she enjoyed visiting the Amazon facility and couldn’t quit talking about what she learned.
“I learned so much about how robots and computers really have to do with our package deliveries,” Surrell said. “When I unwrapped that check I was so amazed that they were giving this to our school.”
George Washington Carver principal Jamilla Thomas took time out of her day to be with her scholars on the Amazon tour. She said she looks forward to more events like this in the future.
“We look forward to our continued partnership with Amazon DFW-7 as we encourage our students to embrace STEM oriented careers.” Thomas said. “These partnerships help us engineer a brighter future for our students of tomorrow and provide them with more STEM related opportunities.”
STEM Students Tour Fort Worth Facility
Lancaster Blended Learning Director Kimberly Clark said the real world experiences like the Amazon tour helps students get a grasp on why school is important.
“Tours of places like the Amazon Fulfillment Center is a perfect way to bridge this connection by showing students that STEM is in every aspect of their lives,” Clark said. “Partnering with school districts is a perfect way to empower builders, innovators, creators and innovators to become part of the many pipelines at Amazon.”
Making this endeavor possible were Fort Worth Amazon Robotics Fulfillment Center General Manager Bill Hicks, Assistant General Manager Mark Hill and Operations Public Relations Specialist Maxine Gray. For Hicks and his team, tours like this are very important as they present questions to students that get them to thinking about the correlations between STEM and real life.
“Raise your hand if you love learning about STEM, being a team player and solving problems,” Hicks ask those touring the facility. “Every single day millions of customers orders are picked, packed and shipped at the fulfillment centers, but none of this ‘magic’ would be possible without the thousands of scientists, engineers, mathematicians, logistics experts and associates at Amazon.”
Hicks went on to say this is why they want to continue partnerships with districts like Lancaster ISD.
“Amazon is proud to support STEM education, empowering, and equipping each and every one of you,” Hicks said to young tourists. “Your are the next generation of innovators, creators and builders at George Washington Carver 6th Grade STEM Learning Center and we want to equip you with what you need to be successful.”
