Amazon teams with Maricopa County schools to provide learning materials to students

PHOENIX (FOX 10) - Today marks the grand opening of an entirely new learning resource for every classroom in Maricopa County.

"About half of my students don't even have computers at home, so any kind of tech I can get in their hands is super exciting for the kids," second-grade teacher Shannon Young said.

Online retail giant Amazon is partnering up with Maricopa County schools, offering teachers in the district a wide variety of free STEM materials for their students.

"We've been able to donate to 200 schools and more than 2,000 local teachers here," said Phoenix Amazon Fulfillment Center General Manager Matthew High. "Materials that students will use for challenge boxes, STEM courses. Really, truly our goal is to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers right here in our local Phoenix area."

Superintendent Steve Watson says the STEM resource center will give teachers everything they need to really engage their students through a more authentic way of learning.

"This is huge. We're sometimes short on resources and here's an opportunity to allow teachers to come to this resource center, think about individual students and the individual needs of the classroom and look at different items they can use in different projects," he said.

On the shelves are learning tools like cameras, power banks, compasses and even electric toothbrushes for students to study, take apart and rebuild.

District teachers say this opportunity will help to change the way our students learn since they are our future.

"The opportunity to get anything in kids' hands, they're used to that active, fast pacing so if we can get anything to enrich our curriculum that we already have to make it interesting and keep them engaged, it's super crucial," Young said.