Kelly Lenart, MSA Safety tax manager, talks with students in Mars Centennial School's STEAM class during a tour of the district.

ADAMS TWP — A large donation to the Mars Planet Foundation will help improve STEAM education in the Mars School District.

The foundation received a $10,000 contribution from MSA Safety for science, technology, engineering, art and math programs at Mars schools. The donation was made through the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program, which offers a tax credit to businesses that contribute to educational organizations.

“We at Mars are grateful for the generosity of MSA,” said Superintendent Wesley Shipley. “This money will be used to upgrade STEAM related courses for students across the district.”

At Mars High School, the money will help purchase a sublimation printer and mug press for the school's graphic design course. It will also cover costs for materials for land transportation and robotic arm projects; a 3-D printer; and Aspire computer-aided manufacturing software for technology education classes. The middle school will buy a set of iPads for the technology education and programming classes.The Centennial School will buy a second 3D printer as well as filament and 3D pens to help with computer-aided design projects. Carts will also be purchased to store that equipment. Similar purchases will be made at the elementary school, in addition to 3D design mats and power strip towers.

Kenneth Krause, MSA Safety chief financial officer, checks out robotic vehicles designed and built by students in Mars Middle School's programming class during a tour.