Afterschool STEM Hub hosts Capitol Hill briefing on impact of afterschool STEM programs on older youth

Panel featuring Anita Krishnamurthi, Zainab Abbas, Natalie Taitano, Siobhán Hayes, and Jubei Brown-Weaver. Photo courtesy of Liana Shivers.

On Thursday, April 11, 2024, the Afterschool STEM Hub, an initiative of the Afterschool Alliance, hosted a congressional briefing on the benefits of afterschool STEM programs for supporting high school youth.

Taking place during the National STEM Festival, this event—in partnership with the office of Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)—featured attendees and participants from industry,  business leaders of STEM talent, congressional offices, non-profit STEM and afterschool organizations, and STEM funders, among others. The briefing’s expert panel was moderated by Anita Krishnamurthi, Senior Vice President of STEM and Youth Engagement for the Afterschool Alliance. She was joined by Zainab Abbas, Founder and CEO of SciTech2U; Siobhán Hayes, Tech Lab Director for the Digital Harbor Foundation; Natalie Taitano, Senior Manager of Corporate Responsibility for Qualcomm; and Jubei Brown-Weaver, an application developer apprentice at Accenture and supported by CityWorks DC.

In setting the stage for the conversation, Anita discussed the importance of STEM education and highlighted how afterschool opportunities can give youth additional mentorship support and a career perspective that is not always able to be provided during regular school hours. In keeping with the Afterschool Alliance’s goals of centering youth voices, Jubei spoke first about his experience as an apprentice through the CareerWise DC program. This afterschool apprenticeship program, which engages students in their junior year of high school, provides tailored mentorship and support in which students like Jubei can develop professional skills while working with an employer supervisor.

From an employer perspective, Natalie described how partnerships with afterschool programs, such as FIRST Robotics, offer valuable pathway opportunities for internships at Qualcomm, providing approximately 25% of their STEM talent. She also touted the connections between students and industry professionals these programs provide, which are a major factor for STEM retention in schools and beyond. From the program perspective, Siobhán highlighted that Baltimore was recently designated by the federal government as a Tech Hub through the CHIPS and Science Act. Her program, the Digital Harbor Foundation, is working to make sure Baltimore youth have access to sufficient STEM-learning opportunities so they can identify themselves in STEM and take advantage of these developing local career opportunities. She has also worked to create accessible programs with Digital Harbor, including STEM programs for youth with autism.

Deepening the discussion on afterschool STEM programs’ role in expanding access to underrepresented youth, Zainab detailed the mission of SciTech2U which is to deliver culturally relevant STEM opportunities to underserved K-12 students at low to no cost. To help with reaching older students, Zainab noted that hiring students to teach their younger peers is effective in both educating the student teachers and providing often essential paid opportunities.

Together, the panel addressed several common questions on afterschool programs. One issue addressed was how to improve the viability of such programs. Siobhán answered by suggesting the need for more sustainable funding. Currently, most programs rely on a patchwork of grants, donations, and temporary windfalls like ESSER funding, which can make budgeting a challenge. Consistent and sustainable funding fosters consistent and sustainable programs that improve student experiences.

Another common challenge discussed was improving engagement and inclusion. Natalie highlighted the power of media, pointing to the success of Mission Unstoppable with Million Girls Moonshot. Siobhán and Zainab talked about the importance of engaged mentors and underscored the value of having mentors and supportive adults who reflect the background of the students they serve. Reaching older youth through afterschool programs can sometimes be a challenge, and panelists shared strategies for inclusion. Siobhán discussed how older youth respond well to financial benefits, such as clear pathways to high-paying jobs or paid teaching opportunities. Jubei emphatically agreed with this point, sharing that the stipend on offer was a motivating factor in him joining his apprenticeship program. Zainab also endorsed this method, pointing out how much the student-teachers learn in their role and the stiff competition with the need for paid work that afterschool programs face with older students.

Student interest also came up and Natalie noted she has seen interest focused on aeronautics, medicine, and engineering, with an emphasis on the fact that opportunities for creativity and innovation are very motivating for students. The audience and panel also discussed the need to expand youths’ understanding of what opportunities exist within the realm of engineering - how vast it is, encompassing so many different technical realms and career paths.

As the hour came to a close, and following robust discussion and engagement with the audience, Anita highlighted federal resources available that support afterschool STEM. These include Titles I and II of the Every Student Succeeds Act, as well as the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program. The Student Support and Academic Enrichment Program (Title IV, Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act) can also be used to support expanded STEM learning through afterschool programs. Funding tailored to support engagement with older youth include the Workforce Innovations and Opportunities Act (WIOA) as well as the Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (CTE). WIOA and CTE funding can be used to establish partnerships with employers to support work-based learning opportunities and intentional efforts to support older youth. Lawmakers are currently updating WIOA, which recently passed the House and faces Senate action soon.

As we look ahead to FY2025 appropriations, youth, STEM, and education advocates have much work to do to ensure afterschool STEM programs are fully funded, that youth voice is included in legislative packages, and that afterschool STEM programs are supported to ensure all youth have opportunities for experiential STEM lear