Three area teachers were recently named recipients of the PPL Foundation’s Empowering Educators grants.

Marissa Andrews, Meagan Wentz and Michelle Davis were among 50 educators who will be receiving funds for STEM education within their classrooms.

PPL Foundation’s Empowering Educators grants support science, technology, engineering and math activities through $1,000 grants to spend on equipment and materials for projects.

“The PPL Foundation is proud to support the efforts and creativity of teachers who are helping their students experience the real-world value of science, technology, engineering and math through hands-on learning opportunities,” said Lissette Santana, chief operating officer of the PPL Foundation. “This class of Empowering Educators grant recipients really highlights the innovation sparking to life in classrooms throughout our communities.”

Andrews is a teacher at L.B. Morris Elementary School, Jim Thorpe. She plans to use the money for lab supplies and materials needed to increase the hands-on learning capabilities of the science curriculum on energy.

Wentz, a teacher Packer Ridge Academy, Lehighton, will use the grant for equipment needed to engage students in digital learning projects, such as creating a stop-motion animation video, virtual frog dissection and learning about space with the NASA visualizer.

Davis, who teaches at Parkside Elementary in Palmerton, will purchase supplies for a collaborative stem project that will allow students to create, problem-solve and learn hands on.

Since the grant program’s inception in 2003, PPL, and now The PPL Foundation, have awarded more than $300,000 to 265 teachers.