STEM ALLIANCE OF LARCHMONT- MAMARONECK INC

STEM ENRICHMENT: IN 2024 ALONE, THE STEM ALLIANCE DELIVERED 168 STEM PROGRAMS ACROSS 44 PARTNER SITES SERVING MORE THAN 2,500 STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, A 73% INCREASE OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR. OVER 60% OF OUR PARTICIPANTS CAME FROM UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES. EVERY PROGRAM IS ASSESSED USING A NATIONALLY BENCHMARKED EVALUATION TOOL - DIMENSIONS OF SUCCESS - DEVELOPED AT PARTNERS FOR EDUCATION AND RESILIENCE (PEAR). THIS RIGOROUS REVIEW PROCESS SETS OUR STANDARDS, DOCUMENTS SUCCESS/CHALLENGES AND HELPS US SUSTAIN HIGH-QUALITY PROGRAMMING ACROSS DIVERSE SITES THROUGH AN INTERACTIVE PROCESS. WE EMBRACE A CONSTANT, INNOVATIVE GROWTH MINDSET ABOUT OUR WORK. FROM COMPETITIVE ROBOTICS TEAMS AND SITE-BASED SCIENCE LABS TO FAMILY TINKERING NIGHTS AND COUNTYWIDE FESTIVALS, OUR PROGRAMS ARE JOYFUL, CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE, AND DESIGNED TO EXPAND ACCESS AND INCLUSION. WE OFFER OUR PROGRAMS AT REDUCED COST OR FOR FREE BASED ON FUNDING INCLUDING, FOR EXAMPLE, PROVIDING 92 SCHOLARSHIPS TO OUR IMMERSIVE, OPEN WATER STEM SAILS ON LONG ISLAND SOUND. OTHER MAJOR EVENTS INCLUDE OUR ANNUAL STEM-TASTIC FESTIVAL (1,200+ ATTENDEES), THREE FIRST LEGO LEAGUE ROBOTICS TEAMS, AND A DOZEN TINKERING NIGHTS HOSTED REGIONALLY.OUR PROGRAMS ARE POWERED BY A FULL TIME, TRAINED TEAM THAT BRINGS TOGETHER EXPERTISE IN LOGISTICS, INSTRUCTION, AND DATAENSURING THAT WE CAN OPERATE AT SCALE WHILE ALSO ENSURING THAT EVERY PROGRAM RUNS SMOOTHLY, MEETS HIGH STANDARDS, AND DELIVERS MEANINGFUL RESULTS. WITH NEW PROGRAM PARTNERS EXPRESSING INTEREST AND CURRENT WAITLISTS GROWING, OUR ABILITY TO EXPAND OUR REACH WHILE MAINTAINING QUALITY IS AN EXCITING OPPORTUNITY FOR FUTURE INVESTMENT.

STEM SUMMER ENRICHMENT: SUMMER IS A CRITICAL TIME IN THE LIVES OF CHILDREN; HOWEVER, IT IS ALSO A TIME OF SIGNIFICANT INEQUITY. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT CHILDREN FROM LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS LACK ACCESS TO QUALITY SUMMER PROGRAMMING WHICH CONTRIBUTES TO A PHENOMENON KNOWN AS "SUMMER SLIDE," THE LOSS OF SKILLS OVER THE SUMMER MONTHS. RESEARCH FURTHER SHOWS THAT INFORMAL STEM LEARNING EXPERIENCES - OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL TIME - HAVE A STRONG IMPACT ON STEM INTEREST, STEM CONFIDENCE AND PERSISTENCE IN STEM LEARNING. THE STEM ALLIANCE MEETS THESE DUAL NEEDS BY BRINGING QUALITY STEM ENRICHMENT TO HIGH NEED COMMUNITIES DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS.THE STEM ALLIANCE'S LEAD SUMMER INITIATIVE IS CO-OP SUMMER ENRICHMENT, A LARGE-SCALE STEM SUMMER CAMP THAT SERVES FAMILIES WITH FINANCIAL NEED. SINCE ASSUMING MANAGEMENT IN 2016, THE STEM ALLIANCE HAS MODERNIZED AND EXPANDED THIS BELOVED COMMUNITY PROGRAM (WITH A 60 YEAR HISTORY), LEADING IT TO EARN THE NATIONAL EXCELLENCE IN SUMMER LEARNING AWARD IN 2023 (ONE OF EIGHT NATIONALLY).THE PROGRAM SERVES 290+ STUDENTS ANNUALLY (90% OF WHOM QUALIFY FOR FREE OR REDUCED LUNCH) AND EMPLOYS MORE THAN 60 LOCAL TEENS AS PAID YOUTH EDUCATORS. STUDENTS ROTATE THROUGH HIGH-ENGAGEMENT STEM LABS, INCLUDING DISSECTION, FLIGHT ENGINEERING, AND STOP-MOTION ANIMATION, ALONGSIDE FIELD TRIPS AND CULTURAL ENRICHMENT EXPERIENCES.IMMEDIATE BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM ARE MEASURED ANNUALLY: 93% OF CAMPERS AGREED THAT CO-OP MADE THEM A BETTER STUDENT. 98% OF COUNSELORS AGREED THAT THEY TOOK RISKS, TRYING NEW SKILLS, ACTIVITIES AND TASKS 95% OF RISE LEADERS SAID THAT THE PROGRAM HELPED THEM DEVELOP COMMUNICATION AND LISTENING SKILLS. 80% OF PARENTS INDICATED THAT "CONTINUED LEARNING" IS THE PRIMARY REASON WHY THEY CHOSE CO-OP FOR THEIR CHILDBEYOND SHORT TERM OUTCOMES, LONG TERM OUTCOMES INCLUDE: 4X GREATER READING GAINS THAN PEERS 26% INCREASE IN AP/HONORS COURSE ENROLLMENT AMONG ALUMNI HIGH STAFF RETENTION AND FAMILY SATISFACTION RATESTHESE OUTCOMES ARE MADE POSSIBLE BY A DEDICATED TEAM THAT ENSURES SEASONAL STAFF ARE WELL-TRAINED, FAMILIES ARE KEPT INFORMED IN THEIR HOME LANGUAGES, STUDENTS ARRIVE SAFELY, AND PROGRAM QUALITY IS CONTINUOUSLY MONITORED AND IMPROVED.CO-OP SERVES AS A REGION-WIDE CATALYST FOR OPPORTUNITY AND A SUCCESSFUL TESTING GROUND FOR SOME OF OUR MOST INNOVATIVE IDEAS. WITH DEMAND RISING AND A PROVEN INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE, WE HAVE EXPANDED OUR WORK TO PARTNER WITH OTHER SUMMER PROGRAMS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS TO ENHANCE THEIR STEM OFFERINGS. THIS INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO: YWCA NEW ROCHELLE, BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF NEW ROCHELLE, PORT CHESTER CARVER CENTER AND G.O.O.D. FOR GIRLS. IN THE SUMMER MONTHS, AS WITH ALL OF OUR PROGRAMMING, WE LEVERAGE PARTNERSHIPS TO BRING OUR QUALITY STEM PROGRAMMING DIRECTLY INTO COMMUNITIES THROUGH TRUSTED PARTNERS.