Boys & Girls Clubs of Carson Receives $450,000 Grant from Tesoro for Recently Launched STEM Program
Carson, Calif. (PRWEB) March 08, 2016 -- The Boys & Girls Clubs of Carson announced its recent launch of innovative STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) afterschool program for middle school students. The new program will focus on fun, hands-on activities to better prepare middle school students for professional and academic success by increasing access to high-quality, educational resources and instruction. The launch of this program was made possible by a three-year $450,000 grant awarded to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Carson by the Tesoro Foundation. The Tesoro Foundation grant will allow the Clubs to employ a dedicated, full-time STEM Coordinator who will develop STEM programs and provide training for staff members.
“Exposing youth to new methods of thinking, previously unattainable opportunities and experiences, and potential career paths is work that can change a young life,” said Kim Richards, Chief Executive Officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Carson. “We are so excited to have a partner like Tesoro who affords these opportunities to our Clubs’ youth and believes in the importance of every young person succeeding.”
Through a combination of experimentation, project-based activities, academic support, field trips and presentations from experts and professionals, students will gain insight into future career paths and be able to seek guidance from local businesses and higher-education institutions. The projects and activities are designed to encourage exploration and curiosity, as well as excite and sustain an interest in STEM-related areas.
“The Boys & Girls Clubs of Carson is doing vital work to equip our youth to be curious and proactive learners,” said Ken Dami, Director, Southern California Public & Government Affairs, Tesoro. “We are proud to have the opportunity to support this program’s important initiatives – invigorating and affording new experiences for children – where our employees live and work.”
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the United States will have more than 1.2 million job openings in STEM related occupations by 2018. With Tesoro’s success heavily rooted in its ability to attract and retain employees with STEM-related skills, supporting STEM education programs has become a cornerstone of its community investment. In fact, nearly 50 percent of Tesoro’s strategic community investments will be dedicated to supporting STEM-related initiatives in 2016.
About the Boys & Girls Clubs of Carson
The mission of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Carson is to offer our young people a safe environment where they can have fun and be themselves, dedicated adult mentors who respect and listen to them, and outcome-based programs that empower youth to become lifelong learners. Our goal is to foster academic and personal success for youth. The BGCC serves nearly 5,000 youth (six to 18 years of age) each year throughout the greater Carson, Calif. area. The BGCC provides a comprehensive and seamless program for youth from elementary to high school.
The Club’s youth development strategy successfully transitions youth from one educational milestone to the next, creating a strong foundation of learning, skills and knowledge that help youth attain their educational and personal goals. The BGCC offers a variety of programs and activities in the areas of (1) Academic Success, (2) Good Character & Citizenship and (3) Healthy Lifestyles. Programs are implemented after school from Monday through Friday at the Main Street Club, Andrew Carnegie Middle School, Bonita Street Elementary School, Edwin Markham Middle School, King Drew Magnet High School, Locke High School, Muir Middle School, Stephen M. White Middle School, Towne Avenue Elementary School and Carson High School. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Carson can be found on the web at http://www.bgccarson.org.
Kanishia Jackson, Underground PR, http://www.underground-pr.com, +1 (323) 404-4731, [email protected]
Share this article