MLive File PhotoMary Lewandowski| MLive.com

JACKSON, MI — A $100,000 grant will help start a pilot robotics program for Jackson County students.

The Dream Maker Fund, part of the Jackson Community Foundation, is partnering with Jackson’s College and Career Access Center to help develop the program to teach career skills. The Dream Maker Fund was established by former Consumers Energy CEO Patti Poppe and her husband, Eric.

The new in-school robotics program will be facilitated by the Shop Rat Foundation in four Jackson County school districts. It will be an eight-week, hands-on in-school program for students in third through eighth grades, said Kelly Burr Kofflin, Shop Rat Foundation executive director.

Kofflin declined to name the participating districts at this time.

“Robotics are a huge part of manufacturing,” Kofflin said. “Giving the students this opportunity to gain this experience and have that familiarity is really important for their future well-being.”

The program is expected to launch no later than early 2022, Kofflin said.

“This is really a monumental opportunity for the Shop Rat Foundation,” Kofflin said. “With this program, we’re going to be tripling, if not more, the number of students and its impact here.”

The Shop Rat Foundation was given the grant because of its work in facilitating STEM education and producing youth-focused education programs for 15 years, Kofflin said.

“We are so honored to have been given this opportunity to work closely with community partners on this shared initiative,” Kofflin said. “It’s really just an exciting and humbling experience for us. We get to have this type of impact, and we’re able to link arms with so many great partner organizations here in the community. It means a lot to me and to this organization to have this opportunity. We’re extremely grateful.”