Project Exploration #GivingTuesday 2021

Since Project Exploration's (PE) founding in 1999, we have worked to change the face of STEM by providing students underrepresented in the sciences - low-income students, students of color, and girls - with opportunities to access free, high-quality STEM education programs. STEM education is a crucial social justice issue, and our mission has been to right this injustice. 

Two primary tactics have enabled PE to make an impact in the lives of over 25,000 Chicago Public School students since our founding: 

• Out-of-school time (OST) Youth-Science Pathway programs which empower underrepresented youth, and ensure they have the support of mentors to help them experience, gain confidence in, and pursue STEM opportunities. 
• Community building strategies in Chicago and beyond which directly address systemic barriers in the STEM learning continuum

A ten-year longitudinal study reveals that PE students are 3x as likely to enroll in a four-year college than their peers, and over one-third of PE alumni major in a STEM-related field in college. Most recently, PE's Executive Director was awarded the Chicago Mayoral Medal of Honor in recognition for her leadership of PE which offered exemplary service to Chicago young people throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

Investments in high-quality STEM and OST education are more vital than ever, as the pandemic has widened the academic skills gap, particularly for low-income students and students of color. At the same time, STEM career opportunities continue to grow, and even those STEM careers requiring only trade school or certificates boast higher earning potential than non-STEM careers.

It is crucial that we address barriers which prevent low-income students, students of color, and girls from becoming aware of and developing the skills to pursue these opportunities. 

Even if students choose not to pursue these education and career opportunities, STEM provides an opportunity for students to explore and fail without repercussions, and ensures that they may see themselves as capable problem finders and solvers. Combined with reflective mentorship, students are able to build resilience and confidence in their skills which help them overcome challenges, reach their full potential, and reinvest in their communities.

By listening to students, parents, teachers, community activists, church leaders, administrators, and more community stakeholders over the past two years, we have develop an ambitious vision build on a foundation of three community-defined priorities which will guide PE's next decade of impact:

1. Drive Demand for STEM - young people who are not exposed to the wonder and discovery of STEM will not demand these opportunities in their education or careers. Thus, PE will continue to allow student interests and community strengths to guide our approach as we dramatically expand the footprint of in-person and virtual program opportunities for K-12 students. At the same time, leveraging the resources of nationally-recognized partners, we will continue to shore up curriculum and evaluation methods to ensure students are receiving the strongest programs possible.  
2. Ensure Reflective Human Resources - Students need teachers and mentors who reflect them in terms of demographics and experiences. Young people are more likely to develop an interest in, pursue, and persist at opportunities if they see mentors they can relate to also demonstrate passion, expertise, and commitment. By investing in multigenerational reflective stakeholders from parents and alumni, instructors to college students, and creating avenues for them to engage in PE programs and invest in younger students, PE will create a supportive network that encourages these STEM trailblazers to persist at opportunities and contribute back to into the community. 
3. Prioritize STEM Opportunities Broadly - Science and STEM are not prioritized in low-income and predominantly black schools, which are often under-resourced and challenged with supporting a student body that disproportionately encounters the effects of racial discrimination, poverty, and trauma. Combating these systemic challenges requires that PE conduct research and share best practices and resources, promote expertise and advocacy among educators, and strengthen the leadership of PE and like-minded organizations in creating STEM ecosystems in which students can access opportunities and mentors.

We cannot do this work without your support. 

The need for this ambitious plan has been accelerated as a result of the pandemic, and dramatic investments are needed now to ensure that low-income students and students of color don’t fall even further behind. 

Please help us reach our goal of raising $10,000 on Giving Tuesday to kickstart this important work. With your help, we truly can change the face of STEM.