The Lower Ninth Ward neighborhood in New Orleans is getting a brand new center to promote science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in the community. STEM 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) will launch after school programming for students in grades third through eighth on Monday, October 3.
CCLC is a partnership between the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School and the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (NORDC) Sanchez Multi-Purpose Center, and STEM NOLA. The Louisiana Department of Education has granted STEM NOLA $270,000 over 18 months to make the center come to life, providing more than 120 children with access to the program.
The mission of STEM NOLA is to grow future innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs through inspiration, engagement, and exposure. CCLC will be open to students from across the city.
“Providing STEM to the Lower Ninth Ward community is critical to the long-term sustainability of this City,” said Dr. Calvin Mackie, founder of STEM NOLA. “We are excited to offer students across New Orleans the opportunity to participate in a STEM after school program. By exposing our children to STEM at an early age, we are providing them with the foundation for more opportunities to succeed academically and the ability to compete for engineering and other STEM-based careers in the future.”
To date, STEM NOLA has engaged more than 7,000 K-12 students from over 360 schools in hands-on STEM activities.