United Donates $1.25 Million for School STEM Projects

DonorsChoose.org, founded by a public high school teacher in New York in 2000, is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit. Since 2000, it has seen contributions of more than $1 billion to support some 2 million teacher requests for classroom resources and experiences. The teachers post a wish list of sorts on the website.

DonorsChoose ensures the integrity of funding by vetting all requests, purchasing each item, and shipping materials directly to verified teachers. The items needed range from book bins and cleaning supplies for classrooms to three-dimensional models and funding for field trips to STEM-appropriate locations.

According to United, the donations will focus on classrooms in the airline's seven hub markets: Hawaii, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Denver, Houston, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and New York.

The remaining funds will be used over the next few months during a matching campaign to finance more aviation and STEM-focused projects. If teachers in the selected cities are interested in submitting a project to be considered for funding, they can visit donorschoose.org/teachers.

"United Airlines is helping classrooms launch into the new school year, with resources that will help aviation and STEM students thrive," said Alix Guerrier, CEO of DonorsChoose. "Through this campaign, United Airlines is empowering youth who are tomorrow's scientists, aviators, and engineers. This partnership will foster the beginnings of future careers."

The hope is that the recipients of United Airlines' support of STEM programs may grow up to work in the aerospace industry as engineers, pilots, maintenance technicians, or logistics personnel.

"Whether it's using model planes to teach middle schoolers the dynamics of flight or taking a field trip to see how a simulator works, we're proud to help teachers get the resources to inspire the next generation of aviators," said Josh Earnest, United's senior vice president and chief communications officer. "We're proud to team up with DonorsChoose to support teachers who are doing incredible work and changing the lives of students around the country."