Meet the Grantees! This year, Microsoft and Silicon Valley Community Foundation partnered to create an open grant round supporting the future of Silicon Valley, and selected 14 non-profit organizations working to address early childhood literacy, STEM education in middle school, coding and digital literacy, and youth entrepreneurship. We’re thrilled to share the work of our grantees in this blog series. ~ Jessica Weare, Philanthropy and Civic Engagement Manager
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula (BGCP) is committed to providing low-income youth in our community with the opportunities that enable them to graduate ready to succeed in college or career. Our clubs and school sites are unique environments that combine fun with hands-on activities that give our youth exposure to ideas and individuals who can help them dream big.
One focus at BGCP is connecting youth with pathways to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), especially given the abundance of opportunities here in Silicon Valley. Microsoft’s partnership allows students to explore and develop skills in STEM fields and careers. This summer 1,600 students are exploring STEM, a core component of our summer programs. From 8 am to 7 pm students are choosing to attend one of our six locations to learn, explore and connect, receiving academic support and participating in engaging electives.
Elementary school students are building and reinforcing their skills in literacy, science, and math through three hours of instruction from certified teachers. They then participate in small group enrichment activities led by BGCP mentors for an additional four hours.
Participants in a Summer Learning Academy journaling about their summer experience in English Language Arts class.
High school students are learning skills for school success and participating in career tracks ranging from physical therapy to computer science at our Summer Teen Center. What they learn is then brought to life through guest speaker presentations by industry experts and field trips to our partners’ campuses.
Program participants building websites for local business as part of the Hack the Hood program operating at BGCP’s East Palo Alto Clubhouse
Volunteer support and engagement helps bring STEM to life for students through guest speakers, field trips and mentoring. There are many opportunities to partner with BGCP in impacting the lives of our youth. To learn more about how you can get involved, please contact Marilyn Hylton at [email protected]. You can also follow BGCP on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
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To learn more about Microsoft’s commitment to youth and education, visit our YouthSpark Hub or follow us on twitter at @msftcitizenship.
