The Waynesboro Area YMCA is proud to announce that it has been awarded a $3,449 grant from The Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC) through the Franklin County Community Foundation Grant Opportunity. This generous funding will expand STEM programming within the YMCA’s School’s Out Club, providing local children with exciting opportunities to learn through creativity, collaboration, and hands-on exploration.For many working families, School’s Out Club provides dependable childcare during scheduled school closures. Beyond offering a safe and welcoming place for children to spend the day, the program is designed to help youth discover new interests, build friendships, and continue learning outside the classroom.

Thanks to this grant, participants will soon have access to a new collection of engaging STEM resources that transform learning into an adventure.

One of the featured additions is the 3DuxDesign Design-A-Zoo Challenge, where children design and build habitats for animals using real engineering concepts and simple machines. Throughout the experience, participants will create solutions for challenges involving penguins, elephants, tigers, polar bears, pandas, and even research and design a custom habitat for a mystery animal.

The grant will also fund a BrickLAB Ultimate Set, giving children the opportunity to tackle hands-on engineering and design challenges using building bricks. These guided activities encourage experimentation and critical thinking while introducing foundational engineering and technology concepts.

These new resources are more than classroom materials—they are tools that encourage children to ask questions, work together, and discover that challenges can be solved through creativity. The equipment will continue serving hundreds of children for years to come, ensuring this investment has a lasting impact on our community.

The Waynesboro Area YMCA extends its sincere appreciation to The Foundation for Enhancing Communities for making this initiative possible. Their commitment to investing in local organizations and creating opportunities for young people will help enrich the lives of children across Waynesboro and the surrounding communities.

To learn more about School’s Out Club contact the Waynesboro Area YMCA or visit our website.