The Delaware Area Career Center (DACC) has been awarded a $5,000 grant through the Ohio STEM Learning Network’s (OSLN) Classroom Grant Program, funded by Battelle. This funding will bring to life an innovative project titled Airbag Alchemy – Science is Safety in a Split Second, designed by DACC science instructor Megan Gibson.
This project will engage chemistry and physics students in a cross-disciplinary exploration of airbag safety systems, with a hands-on build of model vehicles designed to protect the most fragile of passengers, an egg, during simulated collisions. Students will apply chemical reactions to deploy airbags and analyze physical forces such as momentum, impact, and restraint systems, mirroring real-world crash tests. The project will include a field trip to the Transportation Research Center in Marysville, in partnership with Honda, offering students a rare behind-the-scenes look at professional airbag testing.
“I am very proud and excited to be awarded this grant. This is a great opportunity to apply real-life experiences to the content of chemistry and physics,” said Gibson. “This will allow the science department to develop more project-based learning experiences for our full-day students.”
The grant will fund laboratory and data-collection equipment as well as transportation for the field trip, directly supporting hands-on learning and student engagement. This project stands out for its alignment with DACC’s mission to empower and inspire students through authentic and engaging education.
Gibson shared that she is excited to see students use their content knowledge and problem-solving skills to uncover how airbags work and why they matter. “By connecting classroom concepts to real-world safety innovations, students will gain a deeper appreciation for how science and engineering come together to create life-saving technology that impacts all of us.”
This award places DACC among a select group of only a few career centers across the state recognized by the OSLN this year. In total, 165 public schools across 68 counties were selected for funding as part of this initiative.
Battelle’s support of this program furthers its mission to inspire and prepare the next generation of STEM leaders through dynamic, real-world learning.