Hawk Mountain Council, Boy Scouts of America, which provides leadership and character development programs to youth in Berks and Schuylkill counties along with the Panther Valley School District in Carbon County, has announced that it was awarded a $5,000 Community Impact Grant from New York Life.

The grant will support STEM Scouts, which in partnership with local elementary schools provides Science, Technology, Engineering and Math programs to boys and girls in grades 3-5.

STEM Scouts works in groups (up to 24 youth), called “labs,” where they are given leadership opportunities, challenged to a set and achieve team goals, provided service opportunities, and recognized for achievements. In the lab setting, hands-on activities help students learn the academic concepts behind the experiments.

“We are grateful for New York Life’s investment in STEM Scouts, which will change many lives for the better,” said James T. Milham, Scout Executive/CEO “Without the support from New York Life, we wouldn’t be able to deliver the unmet need of engaging at-risk and disadvantaged youth in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics field.”

“I’m proud to work for a company that encourages its agents and employees to devote their time, energy and talents to support the needs and priorities of their local community,” said Steven T. Hofmann, agent of the company’s Harrisburg General Office.

“We are pleased that our partnership will have a long-lasting impact on Hawk Mountain Council’s STEM Scouts and the population they serve.”

This is the second $5,000 grant that New York Life has awarded the Hawk Mountain Council STEM Scout initiative.

The Community Impact Grant program awards grants of up to $25,000 to local nonprofit organizations, which are championed by New York Life agents and employees.

Since the program’s inception in 2008, more than 600 grants totaling nearly $8 million have been awarded to nonprofits across the country.