TechStars Youth STEAM Education Program

K-12 STEAM education

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Science, education, and labor authorities unanimously agree that the U.S. is facing a major STEM crisis. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, tech careers are projected to grow by more than four times the rate of the overall job market by 2032. As technology quickly advances, an exponential increase of STEM educated professionals will be needed to fill those increasing opportunities. However, our current education systems are drastically unable to meet such demands. According to latest standardized tests, less than 34% of L.A. County’s K-12 students meet learning standards in math, and less than 30% meet standards in science. In lower-income communities, the percentages drop even lower, often to the single digits. Thus, it is clear that a drastic increase in quality STEAM education is needed, especially amongst children from lower-income communities, to ensure equitable education and the future thriving of both our young people and the greater L.A. County community.

To help improve equitable access to K-12 STEAM education, including amongst lower-income and female students who are too often underrepresented in STEAM fields, the TechStars program offers cost-free yet quality STEAM education to approximately 500 primarily lower-income students residing in Southeast L.A. County. Provided after-school at the Boys and Girls Club of Whittier and six Whittier area elementary schools, students will engage in two weekly 1-hour sessions of developmentally appropriate STEAM activities utilizing innovative, common-core aligned lessons developed by leading STEAM educators such as STEAM on Demand, X-Bots Robotics, STEM Fuse, KidSpark, and Nintendo Labo. Specific hands-on STEAM activities students will engage in include: 3-D Printing Audio-Video Production Biology/Zoology Chemistry Coding Digital Arts and Graphic Design Fine Arts Math Mechanical and Structural Engineering, and Robotics All lesson instruction and materials including circuit boards, robot kits, 3-D printers, etc. will be provided to all participants free of charge. Pre/post assessments will be implemented before and after each 36 weekly project to measure outcomes, including student growth and understanding of given STEAM concepts.

Lower-income and female students are too often underrepresented in STEAM fields. To address this disparity, TechStars provides quality and accessible after-school STEAM education for lower-income, under-resourced students, aiming for female students to comprise at least 50% of participants. Our goal is to help close STEAM related achievement gaps between male and female, as well as between affluent and lower-income students, ensuring that all students, regardless of socio-economic background, receive equitable quality education. Such equitable education will help more L.A. County students develop critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills, enhancing their academic performance and preparing them for future careers in the rapidly expanding STEAM industry. This will in turn lead to a more skilled and diverse workforce, driving economic growth and thriving for all L.A. County residents.

The TechStars program will measure its impact and define success through a structured assessment process. At onset and end of the program year, we will administer pre and post assessments to evaluate students' attitudes and affinity toward STEAM subjects. These assessments will also gauge their desire and interest in pursuing STEAM as a future field of study or career. Additionally, each of the 36 weekly projects will include pre and post knowledge assessments to measure students' understanding of covered lesson content. Success will be measured by improvements in these assessments, reflecting increased interest in STEAM and a better understanding of core STEAM concepts. This comprehensive evaluation approach will help ensure we track progress and make data-driven decisions to enhance program impact.