ExxonMobil Corporation Awards STEM Grant to Hovnanian School

NEW MILFORD, N.J.—At Hovnanian School’s annual Manti Family Night on Fri., Dec. 5, ExxonMobil Corporation bestowed a generous grant to the school for a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) science project. The grant was facilitated by Patty Martiesian, Hovnanian School’s director of grants, foundations, and individual giving, as well as by Avak Uzatmaciyan, an alumnus (‘95) and Board member, among others.

The STEM projects have been on the horizon for the school’s science department with the aim of sparking students’ imagination to strive for innovative and positive advancement and change in those fields.

Principal Shakeh Tashjian stated, “This grant will enable Hovnanian School students to become familiar with scientific instruments and techniques currently used by professionals in the STEM fields. Students will then become comfortable recording, analyzing, and interpreting their findings.”

“We encourage students to pursue education and coming out into those fields because selfishly we need those kind of folks after they graduate,” said Steve McGee, of Petroleum Marketing Group, and John M. Lucey, territory manager from ExxonMobil. “We heard about this project through Avak [Uzatmaciyan] and we wanted to make sure we were involved with this process. Thank you everybody for putting this science project forward and we’re glad to help.”

Dr. Gregory T. Simonian, chairman of the Hovnanian School Board of Trustees, accepted the grant on behalf of the school. “This grant demonstrates the Board’s ongoing commitment to education and the community with great corporations like ExxonMobil and for their commitment to our environment.”

For more information, visit http://www.hovnanianschools.org.