By Casey Neill
Monbulk students can take a closer look at the world around them thanks to local Rotarians.
The Rotary Club of Monbulk and District presented Monbulk Primary School with a class set of 31 magnifying microscopes.
They’ll support the school’s science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) program.
Club secretary Helen Riethof said the donation was part of the Microscopes in Schools project, which Western Australia’s Rotary Club of Freshwater Bay co-ordinated.
“This project provides primary schools with small hand-held microscopes that are easily moved to view items indoors or out,” she said.
“There are now some 21,000 units in over 700 schools sponsored by around 120 Rotary Clubs in all states of Australia, plus neighbouring Asian and Pacific countries.”
Monbulk Primary principal Lynn Ordish said the school was looking to invest in a STEAM teacher next year.
“Those microscopes are a really good kick-start for us because it’s going to really promote that science and inquiry-type thinking that goes around the whole STEAM philosophy,” she said.
“We’re just so grateful that the community is so well-invested in our kids.
“It’s just a nice feeling that people outside the school really want to see our students grow in their learning and be those life-long learners.”
