Sponsorship & Donations

In 2022, Fosterville Gold Mine proudly supported Eppalock Primary School’s STEM wall project through the community grants program. As a company that values education and sustainability, we are excited to support EPS' efforts to provide students with more opportunities to engage in hands-on learning in STEM subjects.

 "The STEM wall has been a resounding success," says Lydia Fehring, Sustainability/STEM/Art Teacher at Eppalock Primary School. "It has provided much-needed indoor activity options for busy small people, assisted in student learning and will be an asset for years to come. Thanks to FGM for making it happen!"

 According to Lydia, the STEM wall has enabled students to navigate cause and effect, develop persistence and resilience, and learn various new skills. "EPS students have been engaging in STEM as a subject for the past five years, and this wall has added a tool in our STEM toolbelt to assist in student learning," she says. "It has been wonderful to see them develop a variety of new skills using this wall. It has so many opportunities for student engagement, and we love it."

 The STEM wall project aims to give students more opportunities to get hands-on with their STEM program. The wall can be used indoors during wet-day timetables and outdoors for maths, engineering, and science explorations. "The STEM wall would provide the backdrop for students' own gear and chain systems, maths enquiries, create paths for water, ball runs, creative artistic opportunities as well as the operation of valves and water pumps," explains Lydia.

 Since implementing the STEM wall, EPS has seen positive changes in student understanding and interest in STEM subjects. "Our students love the STEM wall; they often ask to use it at different times of the term – but are particularly engaged with it during wet-day timetables and our hobbies and clubs sessions on a Friday," says Lydia. "The ball run has been fun to play with and has challenged students – this is a take on a marble run. We have also had a go at investigating Rube Goldberg machines using the wall – with varying success."

 We are thrilled to see the STEM wall's positive impact on EPS students and are proud to contribute to this important initiative. We applaud Eppalock Primary School for its commitment to sustainability, community, and STEM education, and we are grateful for the opportunity to support their efforts.