“Afterschool programs are changing children’s lives and potentially reshaping the workforce"
Washington, D.C (PRWEB) September 27, 2015
EMBARGOED UNTIL SEPTEMBER 29, 2015 at 12AM EST
Today at the inaugural national Afterschool STEM Summit, leaders from the White House to the state house to business, youth development and K-12, have gathered to explore solutions that are working to inspire and prepare all of the nation’s youth to participate in the STEM economy. Celebrities such as Victor Cruz of the New York Giants, policy leaders from the White House, business leaders in need of qualified candidates in STEM subjects, K-12 leaders who need help engaging students, and non-profit organizations providing effective STEM programs convened to discover solutions and build momentum for STEM learning across America.
“Afterschool programs are changing children’s lives and potentially reshaping the workforce,” said Gwynn Hughes, Program Officer for the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. "These programs play a crucial role in advancing STEM learning—exciting kids’ interest, building real skills, helping them connect STEM with their lives and communities and introducing them to a diverse array of professionals."
Jointly hosted by the C.S. Mott Foundation and the Noyce Foundation, the Afterschool STEM Summit focuses on how best to inspire and prepare our next generation of learners and leaders, and cultivating partnerships between businesses and non-profits that will help bring high-quality STEM learning opportunities to more young people in need across the country.
The Summit brings together more than 400 afterschool leaders and partner organizations from all 50 states. Featuring remarks from national figureheads including White House official Dr. Jo Handelsman, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA), Google leader, Maggie Johnson and New York Giants’ own Victor Cruz. The Summit showcases the efforts of influential leaders working to make STEM learning a national priority.
“Today’s Summit represents the next progression in how to educate all our students to participate in a STEM world and to be ready to enter into any STEM field, whether as an engineer, technician, or astrophysicist,” said Ron Ottinger, Executive Director of the Noyce Foundation. “We’re poised to harness the growing momentum around STEM learning to build the support systems that create and sustain more and better high quality afterschool and cross sector STEM learning programs for all our kids.”
The Afterschool STEM Summit also features the release of new findings from the Afterschool Alliance’s America After 3PM survey of more than 30,000 U.S. households. The survey found that seven in ten parents with kids in afterschool programs report their child’s program offers STEM learning opportunities, though there are notable differences in participation rates of kids in rural, urban and suburban settings. In addition, the data reveals strong support among parents (70 percent) around the need for providing hands-on STEM learning in afterschool. The findings are included in the Full STEM Ahead : Afterschool Programs Step Up as Key Partners in STEM Education report (Note: Data is inaccessible until Tuesday, Sept. 29th at 10 AM.)
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About the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
Established in 1926, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation affirms its founder’s vision where each individual’s quality of life is connected to the well-being of the community, both locally and globally. The Foundation pursues this vision through creative grantmaking, thoughtful communication and other activities that enhance community in its many forms.
About the Noyce Foundation
The Noyce Foundation aims to help young people become curious, thoughtful and engaged learners. The Foundation focuses on a few key areas: expanding opportunities for students to experience hands-on science in out-of-school settings; supporting human capital efforts to develop effective teachers and principal leaders; and investing in models and policies for improving the teaching of math and science. The Noyce Foundation was created by the Noyce family in 1990 to honor the memory and legacy of Dr. Robert N. Noyce, co-founder of Intel and inventor of the integrated circuit which fueled the personal computer revolution and gave Silicon Valley its name.