6 Local Programs helping STEM

| MSNY Staff

New York_STEM

As we mentioned last week, STEM education is an area of immense opportunity, but also an area where we, as a society, are falling short. Should we improve access to STEM resources in schools, or through informal programs? Should we help recent grads get tech jobs, or help the existing workforce develop new skills? To all of these questions, the answer is “Yes.”

There’s a lot of work to be done, and fortunately, a lot of great people attacking the challenge from a variety of angles. Here are some local STEM programs we’re excited about:

  1. YouthSpark – Today, September 10th, marks two years since the launch of Microsoft Youthspark, our company-wide initiative to create opportunities for millions of youth through more than 30 programs and partnerships with more than 350 youth-serving nonprofits, in 100+ countries around the world.
  1. TEALS – Exciting news: Microsoft Youthspark’s TEALS program (Technology Education And Literacy in Schools) is expanding. And it’s expanding right here in New York to The Young Women’s Leadership School of Brooklyn, Urban Assembly Gateway School for Technology, Gregorio Luperon High School, KIPP NYC College Prep High School, and Uncommon Charter High School.
  1. Harlem Biospace – This NYCEDC-funded incubator catalyzes companies in the biotechnology and healthcare industries and also hosts student programs, like the HYPOTHEkids Maker Lab. The Maker Lab is a six-week summer program for NYC public high school students that helps develop their skills and interest in STEM.
  1. Black Girls Code – What is the biggest problem with today’s tech industry? If you answered diversity, you are correct. Guess who doesn’t have a problem with diversity? The #WomenInTech who are enabling everyone to learn programming: Black Girls Code.
  1. Field Trips at your local Microsoft retail store – Did you know that Microsoft Youthspark will provide field trips to FREE in-store workshops throughout the school year that teach kids (ages 8-13) everything from coding to digital presentation creation. …wait, can adults sign up?
  1. The Urban Assembly Maker Academy – Newsflash: Today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders. NYC’s UA Maker Academy instills what they need to be successful: design thinking, an innovative mindset, and the ability to not be afraid to take risks when developing solutions.

Read more about today’s announcement of Microsoft’s expansion of TEALS, both globally and in the United States, via the Official Microsoft Blog.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,