A new initiative in Griffin Heights is bringing STEM education directly to the neighborhood, giving students the opportunity to explore science, technology, engineering, and math careers and skills.
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STEMS4girls launches free STEM program for Griffin Heights students
Community leaders are investing in the program to make STEM opportunities more accessible, with students meeting weekly at the Lawrence-Gregory Community Center to work collaboratively while building technical skills and confidence.
Kay Crawford, STEMS4girls, Founder and Executive Director, says accessibility remains one of the most immediate barriers for students in the community.
“There are several immediate barriers that come to my mind, and the biggest one I think is accessibility to having the hardware to having transportation as well as role models that look like our students,” Crawford said.
The program runs one year with 3 separate six-week cohorts designed to introduce more Griffin Heights students to STEM.
J’Lah Hall, FAMU rising senior, has been involved in robotics since the fourth grade and says the program fills a critical gap in the community, which she wishes was available when she was just getting started.
“And that’s why I think this program is so important to me, because outside of me having a team at school, there wasn’t anything in our community, really nothing in our community pouring into our community, let alone pouring stem into our community, and I think here often that’s something that I appreciate, because a lot of the schools don’t have robotics teams, so if I didn’t know about it before and it’s not at my school, how would I ever know about it? And that’s where the community comes in,” Hall said.
The program is fully funded through the Griffin Heights Neighborhood Community Engagement Fund, allowing kids to learn valuable skills for free.
Families will not have to pay for transportation, meals, equipment, or instruction.
“Given the right tools and access, they can compete with any student anywhere and secure high-paying careers that change your family’s trajectory,” Crawford said.
The orientation session for families to get more information launches June 3 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Lawrence-Gregory Community Center.
The program is reserved for Griffin Heights residents only, though organizers with STEMS4girls say their main goal is to expand access to STEM opportunities, with more programs planned throughout the rest of the year for students in other neighborhoods.
Spots are still available for Griffin Heights residents. For more information, click here.
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