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Culturally responsive STEM programming: Aim High awardee Geeking Out Kids of Color

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Culturally responsive STEM programming: Aim High awardee Geeking Out Kids of Color

This blog is part of a series covering the work of New York Life Foundation Aim High grantees. Awardees receive support for their outstanding out-of-school time programs serving underserved middle school youth. The Aim High grant request for proposals is open now through February 1, 2024 — read the RFP and start your proposal on SurveyMonkey Apply, and join us for our webinar on January 11, 2024. To see more spotlights on Aim High grantees, check out the Afterschool Awards page

In today’s blog, Executive Director Pedro Perez and Program Director Lidia Sanchez discuss how Geeking Out Kids of Color (GOKiC) is empowering Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) youth and redefining what it means to be a STEM leader through culturally responsive curricula and mentorship. In 2022, GOKiC was a recipient of an Aim High grant from the New York Life Foundation. Aim High grants are awarded to afterschool, summer, or expanded learning programs that help middle school students successfully transition to high school. Of the 40 Aim High grants awarded in 2022, 20 focused on supporting social justice and racial equity efforts in out-of-school-time programs.

What is Geeking Out Kids of Color?

GOKiC was founded by Black, Indigenous, and people of color in 2017 in response to a gap in culturally responsive science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programming for BIPOC youth living in King County in Washington State. GOKiC's mission is to expand the possibilities and opportunities for BIPOC youth by creating STEM curriculum, tech education, and providing mentorship to nurture leaders of change. We are a BIPOC-led and serving organization centered on race and gender.

How did the Aim High grant make a difference in your program?

We serve an area called White Center, an unincorporated part of King County, and there aren't many grants that reach youth here. Being able to keep the uniqueness of what GOKiC does through the Aim High grant has been extremely helpful. When we build a curriculum, we build it uniquely based on the youth that we’re serving. A lot of the youth that we serve are either immigrants from Latin America and East Africa or Black students. When we think about what tech education looks like in comparison to programming in affluent neighborhoods, [tech programs] have state-of-the-art, up-to-date equipment and robots and high-quality educators, so our goal is not only to make sure our students are equal but ahead. We’re always having to update our equipment because we want our youth to be leading and on top of the changes in the field.

What benefits do you see in your students by connecting them to BIPOC STEM professionals and mentors?

STEM has always seemed like an out-of-reach concept to me because I did not have that in my scope as a child. What GOKiC is trying to do is make that within reach for BIPOC children. In Seattle is a hub for STEM careers, yet our youth further south don’t have the same access. The STEM programming and the relationships we build with students aren't because we want every child to go into the STEM field if that's not what they want to do. We want to help them discover their own abilities and there is a GOKiC family to hold their hand if they choose to pursue that. It is incredibly eye-opening for our youth to work with someone who speaks their language and looks like they do. This all boils down to the concept of mentorship–having an adult in the field that is relatable to you and who is in your corner.

How does having BIPOC representation in leadership influence the students' perceptions of their own potential and career aspirations?

When our board President Fernando Sanchez, principal engineer manager at Microsoft, came to speak to the students, he introduced himself, "Hi, my name is Fernando, I work for Microsoft, and I’m from Mexico, and Microsoft went to Mexico to find smart folks to bring over here.” And the students were shocked. He flipped the script, saying that as Mexicanos, we are smart enough to be working at Microsoft. We always think that we have to leave Mexico because it is “less than.” When they look at Fernando, he looks like one of their tios/uncles or primos/cousins, because here you have this dark-skinned Mexicano with a beard who looks just like someone from their family, working for Microsoft. After his presentation, students started saying that they wanted to be software engineers, and it became a reality for them. We’ve seen our high school students go from wanting to be doctors or lawyers to changing directions and pursuing computer science in college and are now working at Microsoft. We’ve seen the transition that happens when we connect students to mentors who look like them.

Having served middle school youth, why is it important for youth to have access to the safe spaces and connections that afterschool provides?

Middle school is a confusing place where students still want to be kids from elementary school but don’t know if they’re supposed to be acting like high schoolers, so we recognize that must give our students a more support and utilize social and emotional learning approach, making sure that the curriculum we build reflects what middle schoolers are looking for and what they want to learn. We also push for that support when they transition from eighth grade to ninth grade by recruiting students in middle school to serve as mentors and establishing that deeper-level connection with them so that they have support outside of their usual network of school-day teachers and counselors that is all BIPOC-led.

How does the organization prioritize and incorporate youth voice in program design?

Listen, empower, advocate, and acknowledge youth. What we do in the classroom should be focused on what the youth want to learn. It’s easy to get wrapped up in your own agendas, but take the time to listen to those youth voices within the afterschool space. We obtain feedback through surveys, and afterwards we add in the social justice aspect to the tech education piece.

What did you take away from serving middle school youth?

Eighth to ninth grade is a big transition for youth, and they need additional support, and it is that much more impactful when it comes from people in your own culture, your own ethnicity, and your own language. They talk in ways that you may understand better. It’s about creating programming that meets them in a space where they can learn big concepts that affect their community, their identity, and their heritage, and intertwining that with fun activities like Roblox. Specifically serving middle school youth, it’s about making programming understandable and fun while also giving them the knowledge and tools that they need to succeed now and in the future.

What do you want students to feel when they leave your program?

“Si se puede,”/Yes we can is the first thing that comes to mind when I'm in the classroom with our students. Some of our concepts are hard–coding a game is hard; building robots is hard. I want students to feel safe, happy, and empowered in our spaces until they feel open to different concepts. If our students are safe, supported, and uplifted, then we are doing our job. But at the end of the day, if they are able to say, “Yes, I can do this,” that's sufficient.

What advice do you have for programs right now?

We need more programs like ours; we are not enough. One of our long-term goals is to create GOKiC in a box, and send this kit to afterschool programs across the country. Our goal is to have programs teach a curriculum that is already built, but is flexible enough for them to cater it to the cultures that they are serving. Until then, train your educators to teach STEM so that students can start to build their computational thinking and competencies.

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By helping create my afterschool program, I became the person I am today

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I'm grateful to my afterschool program for giving me a place to belong and helping me make friends.

By Gabrielle Haynes, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. March 25 to 29, 2024 is Youth Voice Week! All this week, we will publish blogs from our Afterschool Youth Ambassadors, as they describe the impact their program has had on their lives and why afterschool is important to them and...

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I have been led by my afterschool teachers, and now I am leading the youth of today.

By Jay'Len Clark, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. March 25 to 29, 2024 is Youth Voice Week! All this week, we will publish blogs from our Afterschool Youth Ambassadors, as they describe the impact their program has had on their lives and why afterschool is important to them and...

BY: Guest Blogger      03/26/24

Afterschool gave me access to opportunities that improved my outlook on life.

By Brandon Tibbs, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. March 25 to 29, 2024 is Youth Voice Week! All this week, we will publish blogs from our Afterschool Youth Ambassadors, as they describe the impact their program has had on their lives and why afterschool is important to them and...

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Afterschool is changing the narrative in my community

By Brandon Tibbs, Afterschool Youth Ambassador, class of 2024. Where I’m from, there’s three ways to be: a “Norbit” (a scholar), a “hoodlum,” or a baller. Afterschool programs aim to change that narrative. A typical day in the ComED youth program would...

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BY: Charlotte Steinecke      01/23/24

Culturally responsive STEM programming: Aim High awardee Geeking Out Kids of Color

This blog is part of a series covering the work of New York Life Foundation Aim High grantees. Awardees receive support for their outstanding out-of-school time programs serving underserved middle school youth. The Aim High grant request for proposals is open now through February 1, 2024...

BY: Maria Rizo      01/02/24

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Culturally responsive STEM programming: Aim High awardee Geeking Out Kids of Color

This blog is part of a series covering the work of New York Life Foundation Aim High grantees. Awardees receive support for their outstanding out-of-school time programs serving underserved middle school youth. The Aim High grant request for proposals is open now through February 1, 2024...

BY: Maria Rizo      01/02/24

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BY: Sophie Kidd      11/03/23

The power of representation: Being a role model for the next generation

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BY: Guest Blogger      07/27/23

Success stories: The Burma Center

Reflecting on the findings from our recent voter poll, "Afterschool a Priority for Asian American and Pacific Islander Voters," the Afterschool Alliance is amplifying the work of out-of-school providers supporting AANHPI students and their families. The Burma Center is a...

BY: Sophie Kidd      06/26/23

Activities and resources to celebrate Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month

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BY: Ursula Helminski      05/15/23

Building peer-to-peer relationships and taking "safe risks": Project Morry

In a conversation with Dawn Ewing, Executive Director of Project Morry, we sat down to discuss how the program is fostering a safe space for youth to re-engage during the summer and how youth are able to define success on their own terms. Project Morry was one of the 36 grantees of the 2021 Aim...

BY: Maria Rizo      01/19/23

Celebrating 25 years of masterpieces with a masterpiece of a movie

“We want to show the softness.” – Mingotae Kebede, director and producer A filmmaker and former staff of a long running Washington, DC Afterschool program, Life Pieces to Masterpieces was asked to help the program create a small video to commemorate the program’s 25th...

BY: Jillian Luchner      12/09/22

Fighting antisemitism and Islamophobia in afterschool

As the war in Gaza continues to grind on, college and university campus protests calling for ceasefire and divestment from Israel are grabbing headlines. While many of the protests are peaceful, some have turned violent, with protesters chanting antisemitic slogans or calling for harm against...

BY: Alexis Steines      05/24/24

New podcast discusses youth perspectives on program design

In March of 2023, The Wallace Foundation released a three-part podcast series titled Beyond the Classroom, where youth research team members, out-of-school time (OST) practitioners, and field experts discuss the findings of a 2022 student-led study commissioned by The Wallace Foundation,...

BY: Elizabeth Bannan      08/01/23

U.S. Dept. of Ed. calls for more afterschool and summer supports

The U.S. Department of Education’s Engage Every Student Initiative marked its one-year anniversary last week with the Raise the Bar Summit, a celebration of the progress made toward expanding afterschool and summer programs for youth across the nation and a platform to exchange...

BY: Ursula Helminski      07/17/23

Creating a safe space in afterschool for LGBTQIA+ youth

Photo courtesy of The Gender Spectrum Collection Afterschool programs provide a safe space for youth to be their most authentic selves, with opportunities to engage with peers outside of the school day, connect with caring adults, and explore their interests and passions. But LGBTQ+ youth in...

BY: Maria Rizo      06/27/23

Activities and resources to celebrate Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month

May is Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month - a month to honor the accomplishments and contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States while celebrating their diverse heritages. Here are a few resources and ideas to help you think about ways...

BY: Ursula Helminski      05/15/23

An afterschool program that feels like a family

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BY: Guest Blogger      02/27/23

Building peer-to-peer relationships and taking "safe risks": Project Morry

In a conversation with Dawn Ewing, Executive Director of Project Morry, we sat down to discuss how the program is fostering a safe space for youth to re-engage during the summer and how youth are able to define success on their own terms. Project Morry was one of the 36 grantees of the 2021 Aim...

BY: Maria Rizo      01/19/23