Maydm

Stem programming - Maydm started in 2015, and we focus on youth of color and girls because these are traditionally underrepresented populations in stem fields. To date, we have worked with over 3,000 students; over 90% identify as a student of color, and over 60% are girls. Our approach combines several elements: one-day workshops, after-school programs, multi-week summer immersive programs, and paid internships for youth across dane county, Wisconsin. We partner with other local organizations and companies in dane county to provide our students with career-relevant knowledge through our educational programs, site visits with stem professionals, and real-life experiences through our paid internship program.our program pathway prepares students to eventually join our paid internship program, allowing them to grow their stem knowledge and skills while earning an income during the summer months. Over 30% of those students qualify for free or reduced lunch during the academic year, indicating low-to-moderate income status. We intentionally designed our workforce development initiative to have attractive wages that reflect the stem jobs that our students are seeking. Students in our internship program are also able to open a noncustodial savings account with a local bank branch in dane county. Qualifying students can earn employability skills certification, madison college credit, mmsd workplace learning credit, and a financial literacy badge. Alongside these benefits, we provide soft-skill development, including resume-building, interview skills, workplace communication, and team-building.