Foundation Academies And Bristol Myers Squibb Expand STEM Opportunities For Trenton Students
BMS $32,500 donation to fund lab equipment and curriculum
Trenton, NJ – Foundation Academies (FA) is thrilled to have the support of Bristol Myers Squibb on creating a state-of-the art chemistry lab at a new FA Collegiate campus opening in August 2026 and expanding STEM opportunities for students in Trenton.
This project marks a transformative step for FA scholars by introducing Advanced Placement (AP) Chemistry for the first time at Foundation Academies. With BMS’s $32,500 investment, students gain access to college-level science education, empowering them to earn college credit, pursue STEM degrees, and build pathways to high-impact careers.
The grant reflects BMS’s commitment to advancing educational opportunities for all and cultivating the next generation of innovators.
Yet for Foundation Academies Chief Executive Officer Sheria McRae, this effort goes beyond teaching chemistry – it’s about breaking cycles of limited access.
“By providing our scholars with AP Chemistry, we are proving that excellence is not reserved for select zip codes or private institutions,” said Mrs. McRae, who grew up in Trenton, graduated from Howard University and returned to her hometown as an educator with her family.
“We are investing in their futures, in their capacity to innovate, and in their right to stand shoulder to shoulder with peers nationwide in the highest levels of academic achievement. We thank Bristol Myers Squibb for supporting our scholars and their futures.”
Through Bristol Myer’s Community Giving Program, the company provides financial support to improve STEM education in schools and community organizations where employees live and work. Coupled with the financial support are employee volunteer efforts that serve organizations of the employees’ choosing.
“At Bristol Myers Squibb, we believe that access to advanced science education is critical to unlocking opportunity,” said Sally John, Research STEM Executive Sponsor, Bristol Myers Squibb. “By supporting Foundation Academies in bringing AP Chemistry to Trenton students for the first time, we’re helping to build a pipeline of future innovators who will shape the next generation of scientific breakthroughs.”
At Foundation Academies, chemistry begins early — not as a distant concept, but as something students can touch, taste, and create. Starting in elementary school, our embedded chemistry curriculum introduces core principles through performance-based and place-based lessons that connect science to daily life in Trenton. Scholars learn chemistry through cooking projects, fragrance-making with home-grown wildflowers from the school garden, and hands-on experiments that transform ordinary materials into opportunities for discovery.
Each year, the curriculum deepens — from sensory exploration to lab-based analysis — building both curiosity and confidence. Our scholars were always prepared to tackle AP Chemistry – but FA had always been unable to offer the course due to lack of resources, infrastructure and equipment.
“For students who may be the first in their families to attend college, the chance to master AP-level science offers both confidence and college credit, reducing the cost of higher education, encouraging college persistence, and opening doors to fields like engineering, medicine, environmental science, and biotechnology,” said Dr. Joy Barnes-Johnson, FA STEM Innovator.
Foundation Academies is a free, public charter school educating more than 1,200 students in kindergarten through Grade 12 in Trenton. FA Collegiate includes more than 400 students in grades 9-12. FA school performance ranks in the top 15% of all New Jersey public schools, with scholars ranking in the top 1% statewide for academic growth and a 100% college acceptance rate.
FA opened its doors in 2007, and in May 2025, broke ground on a third campus, transforming an abandoned factory into a high school and enhancing the South Ward neighborhood in Trenton. The new campus, opening in August 2026, more than doubles the space of our existing high school.
“Our new campus and advanced learning curriculum will signal to our scholars that they belong in the laboratories, research institutions, and universities where the next generation of discoveries will be made,” said FA Chief Advancement Officer Genevieve King. “We are creating a campus where talent is discovered, nurtured, and shared—because Trenton is not a place to leave, but a place to lead.”
Foundation Academies is a public charter school providing free quality education to more than 1,200 students kindergarten through Grade 12 in Trenton. FA opened in 2007 and ranks in the top 15% of all public schools in New Jersey on school performance. Learn more at www.foundationacademies.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 10, 2025
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Michelle Ruess 609-940-2402
advancement@foundationacademy.org
