Monsanto Fund Awards $25,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis
Grant will support DIY STEM program
St. Louis – The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis is pleased to announce the award of a $25,000 grant from the Monsanto Fund to support its DIY STEM program, the Science of Everyday.
The Science of Everyday program is a hands-on, activity-based STEM curriculum which connects youth to science themes they encounter regularly. DIY STEM currently includes five modules: Energy and Electricity, Engineering Design, Food Chemistry, Aeronautics and Robotics. Six BGCSTL Club sites will implement three 10-week DIY STEM activity sessions throughout the year of the grant to 96 Club members ages 9-12, to help members gain the 21st century skills essential for STEM careers, such as decision‐making, planning, problem‐solving, reflecting, and teamwork. Through the DIY STEM program, participating youth will have increased interests in STEM subjects and activities, improved academic achievement in STEM-related skills, and improved knowledge and interest in STEM careers.
BGCSTL will work with the University of Missouri-St. Louis to provide professional learning experiences in STEM for Club staff implementing the program. Boys & Girls Clubs of America is also partnering with Harvard’s Partnership in Education and Resilience Institute to study the impact of the DIY STEM program on Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide.
For nearly 50 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis has provided after school, teen, summer and sports programs to youth ages 6-18. As part of membership, youth also benefit from free on-site dental and vision care. Boys & Girls Clubs proven youth development programs, such as Stride Academy, empower the kids we serve to make positive choices that will lead them to successful adulthood and civic engagement and give them a great future. For more information, to volunteer or donate, visit www.bgcstl.org.
ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GREATER ST. LOUIS
The mission of the Boys & Girls Club of Greater St. Louis is to inspire and enable youth to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. The Clubs now serve St. Louis youth at ten locations (Adams Park Club, Ferguson Middle School Club, Grannemann Elementary School Club, Herbert Hoover Club, Lee Hamilton Elementary School Club, O’Fallon Park Club, Riverview Gardens Club and Hazelwood Southeast Middle School Club), within two High Schools (Normandy and Roosevelt High School) as well as five additional elementary schools through our Mentor St. Louis Program. The Clubs are open during hours that kids are most likely to need a safe place to go — after school and during summer.
ABOUT THE MONSANTO FUND
The Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of Monsanto Company, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the communities where farmers and Monsanto Company employees live and work. Visit the Monsanto Fund at www.monsantofund.org.
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