Cargill Partners With Exploration Place To Make STEM Accessible to All

WICHITA, Kansas — Cargill is partnering with Exploration Place to make science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) accessible to all. A remarkable gift of $100,000 will create exciting new opportunities in STEM education programs that include field trips, summer camps, live science shows and outreach to hospitalized children.

During the 2021-22 school year, Exploration Place began offering free field trips for Title I schools in USD 259. The new program was a huge success, benefiting 3,836 students. With Cargill’s support, the initiative will continue for the 2022-23 school year and expand to include Title I schools throughout Sedgwick, Butler, Cowley, Sumner, Harper, Kingman, Reno and Harvey counties.

One of the field trip attractions is a new mental health themed Live Science Show supported by the Cargill donation. Anxiety Busters explains how our brains and bodies react to stress and equips students with practical tools to help conquer anxiety.

Cargill’s gift allows free STEM activity kits to be provided to hospitalized children and also supports 200 free needs-based scholarships to youth summer camps. The summer program includes 18 camps held at Exploration Place, plus seven new “community camps” for under-represented students at off-site locations, including three Wichita library branches.

Exploration Place is honored to publicly salute this partnership by recognizing Cargill as the presenting sponsor of Kansas: An Immersive Flyover of America’s Heartland, a giant dome theater experience premiering Sept.7. Filmed entirely from a drone, the movie will showcase the beauty, wonder, industry and agriculture of the Sunflower State.

“This gift is an extraordinary investment in STEM education for all,” said Adam Smith, Exploration Place’s president and CEO. “The emphasis Cargill places on values such as education, sustainability and equity aligns very strongly with the values of Exploration Place.”

Beth Carlson, human resources director for Cargill’s North American protein business, noted this effort aligns with the company’s commitment to giving back to the communities where it lives and works and its focus on mental health and well-being: “We are proud to support the work Exploration Place is doing to make science and technology accessible to all,” she said.

Cargill’s North American protein business and world-class Culinary Innovation Center are based in Wichita. The company has had a presence in the region for more than two decades and currently employs more than 900 residents locally.

Contact

Laura Roddy, Chief Advancement Officer
316-660-0602

About Exploration Place

The mission of Exploration Place, Kansas’ premier science center, is to inspire a deeper interest in science and technology through creative and fun experiences for all. Exploration Place is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and through 8 p.m. on Thursday evenings.

About Cargill

Cargill’s 155,000 employees across 70 countries work relentlessly to achieve our purpose of nourishing the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way. Every day, we connect farmers with markets, customers with ingredients, and people and animals with the food they need to thrive. We combine 156 years of experience with new technologies and insights to serve as a trusted partner for food, agriculture, financial and industrial customers in more than 125 countries. Side-by-side, we are building a stronger, sustainable future for agriculture. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.