STEM: Neighborhood Science: Naval STEM Adventures
Abstract
Orlando Science Center (OSC)#s innovative outreach program, Neighborhood Science, provides high-quality STEM workshops for multipledays each week in afterschool programs and community centers within low-income, predominantly BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) neighborhoods. At OSC, we are driven by a belief that everyone should have equitable access to high-quality STEM education. US Department of Education Secretary, Miguel Cardona recently stated that many people of color between the ages of 13-29 report they feel there is no place for them in STEM. Furthermore, a direct link has been found between low socioeconomic status and underrepresentation in STEM. This is not due to a lack of curiosity or aptitude, but to the disparity in opportunities available in low-income communities. To make a broad, profound impact, we work in close partnership with leaders and organizations working in the communities where equitable STEM support is most urgently needed. Through Neighborhood Science, students (grades K-12) receive free access to hands-on workshops designed to develop 21st Century Skills, ignite passion for learning, and instill confidence. Students engage in STEM discovery and skill-building through activities such as coding, robotics, virtual reality, engineering design challenges, 3D printing and more. Neighborhood Science encourages underrepresented students to actively engage and see themselves as future STEM professionals, utilizing curriculum geared towards specific STEM careers, and guest speaker visits from the STEM industry. OSC is requesting funding for an expansion of this program titled Neighborhood Science: Naval STEM Adventures to develop and deliver engaging STEM curriculum with a focus on Naval careers and ONR#s Science and Technology priorities. Through a partnership with the City of Orlando, this program will serve youth from two community centers: Grand Avenue Neighborhood Center and a second City of Orlando location to be determined based on the needs of the community. Each of these centers will be located in zip codes defined by The Economic Innovation Group as distressed, enduring low high school graduation, high unemployment, and high poverty rates. The centers will also be located in communities with over 70% Black residents, a racial group identified as largely underrepresented in the STEM Workforce. The goals of Neighborhood Science: Naval STEM Adventures are to 1) Increase access to STEM learning opportunities for low-income, BIPOC youth (grades K-12) in Central Florida. 2) Increase confidence, interest, and understanding of STEM concepts relevant to Naval STEM careers 3) Increase awareness of and interest in pursuing Naval STEM careers. 4) Develop a Tool Kit of resources, curriculum, and best practices to share with national museum partners. While developing curriculum for Neighborhood Science: Naval STEM Adventures workshops, subject matter will be selected to directly align with the Office of Naval Research#s Science and Technology areas of focus, enhancing students# Naval skills and knowledge in skills such as engineering, biomimicry, robotics, simulation, and computer science. We will coordinate directly with the Warfighter Performance department to identify high priority topics. Neighborhood Science: Naval STEM Adventures will not only empower future leaders in this skillset, but will also develop an innovative curriculum with the potential to expand to additional afterschool programs throughout the Central Florida region and beyond. OSC will utilize a rich network of national museum partners, we will distribute a Tool Kit that will demonstrate how museums can have a powerful community impact with this model by providing resources, curriculum, and best practices. This will further improve the capacity of community informal education institutions, such as museums and science centers, to create impactful naval-related STEM educational experiences for underserved students.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- May 15, 2024
- Source ID
- N000142412316
Entities
People
- Emily Duguid
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- Orlando Science Center
- United States Navy