New technologies are changing the ways we live and work. Soon, driverless cars, artificial intelligence and virtual reality will be the norm.

Today’s students must equip themselves with knowledge in the STEM subjects of science, technology, engineering and math to prepare for the jobs of the future.

APS and the Phoenix Suns are investing in our community by providing grants to teachers around the state that will be used to spark early and lasting interest in these critical subjects.

For more than a decade, APS and the Phoenix Suns have partnered to promote STEM education in Arizona schools by offering $50,000 annually in mini-grants for hands-on projects focused on STEM subjects.

The grants were available to kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers in public and charter schools located in APS service territories. The funds support innovative, student-based projects that improve student achievement in STEM-related subjects.

Today, the two organizations announced that teachers from 25 Arizona classrooms received grants to promote learning around science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics.

“Students around the state are in for a real treat,” said Tina Marie Tentori, executive director of the APS Foundation. “Thanks to these grants, these 25 teachers will be engaging students with robot programming, creating a zero-waste school, 3-D printing from recycled plastic bottles, and sustainable gardening, to name a few. I have no doubt that these interactive projects will inspire students to pursue additional STEM studies and, eventually, rewarding STEM careers.”