Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) today announced the third cohort of Pennsylvania STEM Ambassadors. The program aims to shape the future of STEM education in the commonwealth by targeting vital policy conversations to legislative leadership in the areas of STEM Learning ecosystems, computer science, apprenticeships, state and federal policy for formal and informal education, and workforce needs.
Thirteen of the nation’s leading youth development programs launched Be a Champion, #InvestInKids to raise awareness and increase support for youth programs across the country. The Be a Champion, #InvestInKids campaign is funded through generous support from the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation. Participating organizations include Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boy Scouts of America, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Camp Fire, Coaching Corps, Girls Inc., National 4H Council, NatureBridge, Outward Bound, Playworks, Positive Coaching Alliance, the Student Conservation Association and the YMCA.
Many women have faced gender discrimination in the workplace. How to respond to men who claim their behavior was unintentional, Lorrie Owens, administrator for IT services for the San Mateo County Office of Education in California, suggests refocusing the conversation on how their words were perceived. “Stress: ‘This is how it was received,’” she said, adding that she tries for a non-confrontational approach. “Sometimes people try to belittle your perception of what they just said. Firmly, professionally stand your ground.”
The destruction of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 transformed New Orleans into a place where construction is not just a high demand, high-wage career, but an act of service to the community. unCommon Construction (UCC)—a non-profit organization in New Orleans that delivers afterschool programming and weekend on-site apprenticeships—engages high school students in career pathways within the construction industry, while also building and selling essential market rate homes for residents and families in the students’ home town.
Techbridge Girls strives to meet girls exactly where they are. In scaling up, Techbridge Girls have used data and in-depth research to identify needs in the landscape and to adapt both their programming and organizational structure to reach girls where they are with life-changing STEM enrichment. With every adaptation, they have always put the voices and lived experiences of those they serve at the center of their work.
