July 14, 2025
Funding to strengthen and advance the North St. Louis school’s STEAM initiative
City Academy announced today it received a grant of $40,000 from Bayer Fund, a philanthropic arm of Bayer in the U.S. The grant will be used towards building a better future by providing students with opportunities to understand how classroom learning will translate into real world applications and allow students to explore various professional careers in STEAM fields.
“This funding allows us to continue building upon our ambitious STEAM education,” said Erik Taylor, City Academy’s STEAM Program Administrator and 5th and 6th Grade Science Teacher. “Through our STEAM program students are able to envision themselves being future engineers, chemists, doctors or anything they desire to be. Many of our alumni go on to pursue careers in STEAM and have told us that City Academy sparked their interest in the field and laid the foundation for their future success. The Bayer Fund grant allows us to continue to empower our students to think outside of the box and see themselves as the future of STEAM professions.”
To support the shared goal of Bayer Fund and City Academy to help communities flourish, this grant from Bayer Fund enhances STEAM learning integrated throughout classrooms across City Academy’s campus.The curriculum is built on experiential learning that helps students connect classroom learning with its real-world application. City Academy scholars utilize learned STEAM principles such as problem solving, critical thinking, and hypothesis formation in their other subjects.
Bayer Fund has supported City Academy since the founding of its STEAM program in 2008, and was a recipient of City Academy’s 2025 Bold Expectations Award. Its funding has helped strengthen teacher retention and professional development, provide equipment and supplies, and support hands-on field trips..
In October, Bayer also participated in City Academy’s STEAM Family Night, where students built plant cells out of slime — just one example of how Bayer helps bring science to life for young learners.
“Bayer Fund is proud to support City Academy and their work to make real, sustainable impacts in the lives of students through innovative, hands-on learning,” said Michael Parrish, President of Bayer Fund. “Programs like City Academy’s STEAM Initiative help our neighbors and make our community stronger and more resilient and we’re honored to help bring their work to life and support the greater St. Louis community.”
Last year, Bayer Fund supported more than 2,200 charitable and nonprofit organizations to help address essential needs.
To learn more about City Academy visit www.cityacademystl.org.
About Bayer Fund
Bayer Fund, a philanthropic arm of Bayer in the U.S., is a nonprofit organization dedicated to
strengthening the communities where Bayer customers and employees live and work by providing funding for food and nutrition, education, and health and wellness projects. For more information visit https://www.fund.bayer.us.