Exposure to Knowledge
The STEM Educational Fund works to educate and mentor boys and girls of color with information, knowledge and support they need to pursue a satisfying STEM career. We facilitate excursions for young people of color between the ages of 8 and 18 to museums, aquariums and botanical gardens with a focus on STEM fields of education. We partner with community organizations to identify young girls and boys of color who are experiencing unstable housing or other significant challenges to participate in our program. By engaging these young people through onsite museum activities, we are giving them an opportunity to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics and maybe spark an interest that they may want to pursue through college and beyond to a satisfying career.
Our goal is to expose these young people to knowledge that will help them make informed choices for their future. Post Covid-19, we are in the planning stages to relaunch our excursions in 2024.
What we do...
We began this journey in 2019 in Wilmington, DE. As we navigated through the Covid-19 years of 2020 and 2021, we expanded to Glassboro, NJ and the Philadelphia and Chester Counties in PA through virtual classes. As we prepare to relaunch in 2024, we plan to include more areas where we feel we can make an impact. Our target areas for 2024 include:
Expected resultant benefits of the program:
Future Programs
STEM Camp Scholarships
STEM Fairs/Exhibits
Virtual and Local College Tours
Virtual and Local College Courses
Local STEM related internships
Mobile-friendly STEM related material/Virtual Tools
It’s my hope that this program will be vehicle to boost their interest in a STEM field of education and possibly a profession.
~ E. Darlene Rogers
Our goal is to expose these young people to knowledge that will help them make informed choices for their future. Post Covid-19, we are in the planning stages to relaunch our excursions in 2024.
What we do...
- Connect with community organizations that work with families that have kids that are experiencing unstable housing or other significant challenges
- Engage with the parent(s) and kids to discuss the logistics for the museum excursion
- Connect with the area museums to schedule guided tours
- Connect with area businesses to help offset the costs for meals and transportation
- Facilitate the museum day excursion
- Follow-up with the parent(s) and kids post visit
We began this journey in 2019 in Wilmington, DE. As we navigated through the Covid-19 years of 2020 and 2021, we expanded to Glassboro, NJ and the Philadelphia and Chester Counties in PA through virtual classes. As we prepare to relaunch in 2024, we plan to include more areas where we feel we can make an impact. Our target areas for 2024 include:
- Philadelphia, PA
- Camden, NJ
- Wilmington, DE
- Washington, D.C.
- Baltimore, MD
- Chicago, IL
- Milwaukee, WI
- Detroit, MI
- Columbia, SC
- Atlanta, GA
- Houston, TX
- Birmingham, AL
- Miami Gardens, FL
- Little Rock, AR
- Compton, CA
Expected resultant benefits of the program:
- Boost in self-esteem
- Increase in productivity
- Willingness to take pride and care for oneself
- Life-long friendships
- Network building
Future Programs
STEM Camp Scholarships
STEM Fairs/Exhibits
Virtual and Local College Tours
Virtual and Local College Courses
Local STEM related internships
Mobile-friendly STEM related material/Virtual Tools
- Courses
- Career Assessment Quiz
- News Articles
- Games
It’s my hope that this program will be vehicle to boost their interest in a STEM field of education and possibly a profession.
~ E. Darlene Rogers
Day at the Museum 1973 (E. Darlene Rogers, Mary E. White, Willie J. Rogers, Roger A. Rogers, Photograph by Geo. Wm. A. Rogers at the Tidal Basin Wash, DC)