Grant funds to support the District’s Regional Innovation Center
ELDRIDGE, Iowa, Oct. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The American Water Charitable Foundation, a philanthropic nonprofit organization established by American Water (NYSE: AWK), and Iowa American Water recently announced a $10,000 Workforce Readiness grant to the North Scott Community School District’s Regional Innovation Center.
“North Scott High School and its Robotics and LEGO League teams are incredibly thankful for the American Water Charitable Foundation’s generosity,” said Andrew Lehn, principal of North Scott High School. “The grant funding from the past two years has had a significant impact on the teams’ ability to purchase necessary materials, technology and curriculum to compete at the highest level.”
The 2026 grant will support hands-on STEM, robotics, engineering and career-readiness opportunities for North Scott students. Funding will provide LEGO League materials and registration fees for three elementary school programs and help advance the district’s robotics program for students in grades 7–12 through tournament fees, new materials, technology upgrades, 3D-printing resources and equipment, including a planned CNC machine.
The Regional Innovation Center provides students with opportunities to develop technical, problem-solving, leadership and collaboration skills through real-world learning. Students design, manufacture and assemble custom parts; use computer-aided design programs and 3D printers; build and test robots; and share their knowledge with younger students and the broader community.
“The continuous support we’ve received from the American Water Charitable Foundation has allowed us to push past our limits and focus on developing and growing our program,” said Josh Le, a North Scott robotics student. “The new parts, electronics and machinery will give us an even richer engineering experience, including in-house machining and manufacturing. It has opened new doors for our team and will help us bring middle school students into the program so they can learn alongside us.”
Robotics Team Coach Michele Mess said the grant has generated enthusiasm and creative plans as students begin designing and testing this season’s robot.
“These learning opportunities are priceless in the growth of our students’ experience and can help lead them toward careers that allow them to reach their potential,” Mess said. “They are eager to challenge themselves, learn to design parts using computer programs, produce those parts with 3D printers and a CNC machine, and assemble them into working robot functions. They also want to share what they learn with junior high and elementary students. We are grateful for the grant funding that helps sustain these dreams and gives students the opportunity to become amazing young engineers.”
The Workforce Readiness grant is part of the American Water Charitable Foundation’s Keep Communities Flowing Grant Program, focusing on three pillars of giving: Water, People and Communities. This grant program focuses on general career readiness, financial and business literacy, positive youth development and life skills training.
“The American Water Charitable Foundation is proud to support initiatives that provide access to high-quality learning students need to be successful,” said Carrie Williams, president of the American Water Charitable Foundation. “We take pride in supporting American Water’s continued efforts to be a responsible neighbor and reliable partner in the community.”
Through its partnership with the North Scott Community School District, Iowa American Water is helping connect local students with innovative workforce-development experiences that prepare them for future careers in science, technology, engineering, manufacturing and other skilled fields.
“At Iowa American Water, our commitment to the communities we serve goes beyond providing safe, clean and reliable water,” said Brad Nielsen, president of Iowa American Water. “By supporting hands-on learning opportunities at the North Scott Regional Innovation Center, we are investing in the next generation and helping students build the skills, confidence and experience they need to become part of Iowa’s workforce of tomorrow.”
Learn more about Iowa American Water’s community impact at iowaamwater.com.
About American Water
American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886 and celebrating 140 years in 2026, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to approximately 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 19 military installations. American Water’s approximately 7,000 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company’s national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders. For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.
About American Water Charitable Foundation
The American Water Charitable Foundation, a philanthropic non-profit organization established by American Water, focuses on three pillars of giving: Water, People, and Communities. Since 2012, the Foundation has invested over $25 million in funding through grants and matching gifts to support eligible organizations in communities served by American Water. The Foundation is funded by American Water shareholders and has no impact on customer rates. For more information, visit amwater.com/awcf.
About Iowa American Water
Iowa American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the largest regulated water utility in the state with approximately 90 dedicated employees working to provide safe, clean, reliable and affordable water and wastewater services to approximately 225,000 people.
About the North Scott Regional Innovation Center
The North Scott Regional Innovation Center in Eldridge provides hands-on STEM, robotics, engineering and career-readiness experiences for students. Through programs including elementary LEGO League and robotics opportunities for students in grades 7–12, participants build technical knowledge while strengthening problem-solving, teamwork, leadership and communication skills. Students also share their learning through outreach to younger students and community events.
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SOURCE American Water
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