Above / DuPage Children’s Museum, located at 301 N. Washington Street, recently welcomed a $15,000 grant from The Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley. (PN File Photo)
DuPage Children’s Museum (DCM) is thrilled to announce a $15,000 grant from The Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley for its AWEsome ENERGY exhibit.
The AWEsome ENERGY initiative represents multiple years of research and testing with a team of educators, scientists, business leaders, parents, and children. DCM’s AWEsome ENERGY neighborhood creates an immersive, interactive experience in three integrated sections: AIR, WATER, and ELECTRICITY. AWEsome ELECTRICITY opened in June 2012. AWEsome Air opened in December 2015.
AWEsome Water will open on June 24, 2017, during DCM’s 30th birthday party celebration.
AWEsome ENERGY is a massive permanent exhibit and education initiative that, when completed, will cover one-quarter of DCM’s 17,000 sq. ft. exhibit space and will welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors annually.
As children explore in a hands-on environment, discovering the scientific forces that power our world, they build creativity, critical thinking, and problem solving skills that will launch them into a bright future. “We are proud to support the DuPage Children’s Museum’s capacity to provide families in the Fox River Valley communities with experiences that will not only enhance children’s minds to the bright futures that exist for them, but will also create memories that parents and their children will have forever,” said Julie Christman, Director of Community Involvement and Partnerships, Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley.
Gift will impact children’s lives and learning
“This is a mutually beneficial partnership that will demonstrate how The Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley is making a significant impact in children’s lives around learning,” said DCM President & CEO, Sarah Orleans. “Their sponsorship of AWEsome ENERGY plays a crucial role in making the exhibit a reality. It further advances DCM’s reputation as a leading education resource providing needed and relevant S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) programming for thousands of early learners from throughout the entire region, offering discounted memberships to over 300 families from the Fox River Valley so that all families can benefit.”
Exhibits like AWEsome ENERGY would not be possible without the generous support of our donors, sponsors, grantors, and our nearly 9000 member families. Fundraising opportunities are still available. To find out more about how you can make an impact today, please contact our Development Department at (630) 637-8000.
DuPage Children’s Museum
The Museum helps develop curiosity, creativity, thinking, and problem solving in young children through its mission: “DuPage Children’s Museum ignites the potential of all children to learn through hands-on exploration by integrating art, math, and science.”
Interactive exhibits and programs make learning fun for children and adults playing together. DCM serves over 300,000 visitors annually representing all 50 states and 575 zip codes in Illinois. DCM’s reach and support represents well beyond the Chicagoland area. The Museum’s impact extends across cultural, financial, and educational boundaries. It touches the lives of children from all regions, providing the building blocks for success in school and life.
The DuPage Children’s Museum is located at 301 N. Washington Street in Naperville, www.dupagechildrens.org or call (630) 637-8000.
The Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley
The Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley is a non-profit, tax-exempt, philanthropic organization that administers individual charitable funds from which grants and scholarships are distributed to benefit the citizens of the Greater Aurora Area, the TriCities and Kendall County, Illinois.
Founded in 1948, the Foundation provides a simple and powerful approach to charitable giving. Individuals, families, businesses and organizations have the opportunity to custom design their own named funds that reflect their charitable goals and interests. Since its inception, the Community Foundation has grown to more than $80 million in assets and has awarded over $63 million in grants and scholarships.
For more information on the Foundation, visit www.CommunityFoundationFRV.org.
Story submitted by Dee Dee McDevitt, Director of Marketing and Sales, DuPage Children’s Museum.
