Stem Alliance

Digital equity now: there are currently approximately 120,000 individuals in westchester county without access to a device, internet connectivity, and/or basic digital skills. Our digital equity inclusion services are designed to bridge this digital divide. Via our digital pathways program - including multiple large scale subinitiativies - we bring devices, internet connectivity and technical training to individuals in our community who otherwise would not have access. As an early entrant into the market for these services, the Stem Alliance has developed a position as a market leader across westchester county and has therefore become a trusted partner of state and local governments to conduct market research and administer services. Pre and post-survey results of 2,505 clients who received tech eduction and earned a free chromebook show:- a 13 percenrage point increase in the number of clients who now feel comfortable or very comfortable on a computer - clients plan to use their devices for critical job related skills: - 90% to send/receive e-mails - 82% to participate in meetings with video conferencing - 90% to research new information online- on average, more than 3x as many clients were comfortable or very comfortable on workforce platforms at the end of the program (docs, sheets, slides & calendar)- spanish language speakers came into the program with less confidence in their computer abilities than their english speaking peers, however they made the largest gains in confidence after the program, closing the confidence gap with english speakers across many indicators. - 98% of participants rated our programming of high qualityour long-term program impact survey of 141 clients 3-6 months after being provided with digital inclusion services shows:- 81% are able to better manage money and personal finances- 74% are able to better save money- 57% have improved workforce skills- 45% were able to start a new business or market a pre-existing one

Stem education and equity:stem education and equity services are designed to bridge systemic gaps in Stem education. Via 26 partnerships with local organizations, we delivered 97 high quality Stem programs over the past year for a total of 10,000+ of program hours. Our programs served 2,500+ students from pre-k through high school, with 64% of all programming serving bipoc communities. With this work, we educate, inspire, and empower the next generation of Stem leaders. Our classes, workshops, and pop-ups, and are often organized for affinity groups such as all girls programs to create safe learning environments for underserved populations to explore Stem learning in a welcoming environment. As part of our equity efforts, we also offer reductions in tuition costs and even free programming for students in need. This fulfills our mission to create equal access to Stem enrichment experiences for all children in our community regardless of their socioeconomic status.beyond after school programs, the Stem Alliance leads numerous other community programs throughout the year. These include but are not limited to:- stem-tastic: a free festival for over 1,000 people that brings Stem to life with hands-on activities. - first lego league robotics teams that participate in regional competitions striving to advance in their leagues; - tinkering nights at local elementary schools:family events designed to engage children and parents alike in the process of "making and exploring along a theme such as magnets or electricity.- amc-8 math exam prep club a middle school club that helps students prepare for a highly competitive national math exam.

Co-op summer enrichment: the Stem Alliance is hired by the Mamaroneck union free school district to organize and run the co-op summer enrichment program, our area's only summer program for low income children. Established over fifty years ago, co-op summer enrichment program provides six weeks of Stem focused academic and summer recreational experiences for 240 Mamaroneck school district elementary students and two weeks of programming for about 50 middle school students. In 2023, the Stem Alliance won the national summer learning association/ny life's excellence in summer learning award, lending national recognition to our work. 90% of the students who attend receive free lunch or reduced lunch. The remaining 10% of students are nominated for the program by a professional educator based upon social, emotional or academic needs. The program also employs more than 60 diverse, local teenagers and young adults to promote leadership opportunities and employment in Stem education. Co-op serves a critical role in the overall academic success of at-risk students. 72% of co-op campers are hispanic. 72% scored below grade level on the state english language assessment tests. This program serves as a summer slide initiative while also connecting underserved children to Stem skills that are directly related to future employability and higher wages. The research on summer learning is largely a confirmation of what we intuitively know: children's experiences outside of school are crucially important to their social and academic growth. High-quality summer learning opportunities can support and improve a young person's social, academic, physical, and emotional development. Conversely, youth who lack access to enriching summer experiences, suffer not only slowed development, but also an actual decline in skills over the summer months. The negative results of this phenomenon, often called "summer learning loss or the summer "brain drain," are cumulative and, over time, contribute to the achievement gap between low and high income students. The decline in academic performance over the summer months is disproportionately high for low-income students, those least likely to have access to summer learning opportunities. To combat summer slide and increase Stem education opportunities for our most vulnerable local children, the Stem Alliance created an innovative summer program that teaches critical Stem skills while also promoting summer fun. In a typical summer, co-op students rotate through one week project-based learning inquiries in Stem disciplines such as: dissection, flight, stop motion animation, design lab, technology and water engineering. Additional Stem learning experiences include activity rooms with themes like engineering and math. Finally, students take field trips to locations such as ny hall of science, hudson river museum, maritime aquarium and otter creek or participate in on-site workshops from the westchester children's museum and the maritime aquarium.