Initiative Made Possible by Arconic Foundation to Spur Innovation in
STEM Mentorship and Maker-Centered Learning
WASHINGTON, D.C. – January 16, 2018 – Today, US2020 announces 15 national finalists, including the SC Promise Zone Collaboration/SRS Community Reuse Organization Region in Allendale, South Carolina, for the STEM Coalition Challenge, a competition for communities across the country to develop cross-sector partnerships to bring quality hands-on STEM mentoring and maker-centered learning to underrepresented students. These finalists will now move forward to compete for $1 million in resources to implement their bold strategies, representing some of the most innovative approaches to tackling the opportunity gap through STEM.
“We received so many great ideas and are inspired by the response of the country,” said Esra Ozer, President of Arconic Foundation, a sponsor of the Challenge. “Arconic Foundation is excited to support and galvanize the efforts of these diverse communities, and we look forward to learning about the wins, challenges, and new ideas that come from this group of finalists.”
The Challenge received 92 applications from 82 communities across 35 states, representing more than 1,800 nonprofit, companies, school districts, and local government partners.
“It is clear by the national response that there is an interest and a need to increase STEM education opportunities for America’s youth. In order to ensure an economy and country of diverse thinkers and doers, we need to continue to shine a light on the STEM collaborations that are on the ground. We need to collectively lift up programs that are inspiring more students to become the next generation of change-makers,” said, Em McCann, Chief Executive Officer of Citizen Schools, the umbrella non-profit working to expand learning opportunities to underserved students across the country.
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