STEM NOLA receives $100,000 donation to aid COVID-19 response

By YaaAnn Agyeman-Yeboah
Contributing Writer

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to roil on and the new school year begins, some after-school programs that also suffered from stay-at-home orders are finding new ways and new funding to continue their programming for students.

On August 19, STEM NOLA, which has provided science, technology, engineering and mathematics programming for K-12 students since 2013, received a $100,000 donation from AT&T, as part of the telecommunications company’s Distance Learning and Family Connections Fund.

“My team and I are passionate about preparing young people to be the next generation of innovators, makers, and creators, and I am thrilled when I find members of the business community who share that passion,” said Dr. Calvin Mackie, the founder of STEM NOLA in a statement.

Founded in 2013, STEM NOLA has engaged with over 40,000 K-12 students and 6,500 college students. The organization aims to fill the gaps among, particularly, students of color in pursuing careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The early STEM education programs the non-profit offers allow exposes children to science and innovation at an early age and mentors them into STEM careers.

“STEM NOLA has been a consistent leader in our community and in many other communities,” said Lambert Boissiere, the Louisiana Public Service Com-missioner, District 3. “The support of business leaders like AT&T is key to STEM NOLA’s continuing efforts to reach more people and cultivate hope and confidence,” Boissiere said in a statement.

Since the end of March, the coronavirus has made it extremely difficult for STEM NOLA and other organizations like it to reach their students. This has forced them to seek other options, including live online STEM sessions and hands-on experiment instructional videos. Although these events are virtual, costs do add up, program directors said.

In response to educational needs during the pandemic, AT&T said it will set aside $10 million through its Distance Learning and Family Connections Fund to assist with virtual learning and social distancing across the nation to help slow the spread of the virus. As part of this initiative, the company not only donated to STEM NOLA, but also presented $40,000 to HandsOn New Orleans to assist with future virtual activities and workshops. HandsOn is a volunteer service organization that works to address community needs through projects that revitalize schools, neighborhoods and the environment.

“Dr. Mackie and STEM NOLA have been a consistent presence over the years in New Orleans and across Louisiana, supporting our youth and preparing them to be leaders in our communities,” said Sonia Perez, president of AT&T Southeast States. “We are proud to support the work he and his team do to prepare young people with the 21st century skills they need to be successful in today’s economy, and their efforts are a perfect fit for support from AT&T’s Distance Learning and Family Connections Fund.”

The partnership between STEM NOLA and AT&T is not new. The two entities have collaborated in the past to provide K-12 enrichment programs all over New Orleans.

“AT&T has stood with STEM NOLA for years, and their commitment to skills development and support for area youth in the STEM fields is exceptional,” Mackie said.

This article originally published in the August 24, 2020 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.