Expanded STEAM Education Reaching More Under-Resourced Students

K-12 STEAM education

County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

In L.A. County, a lack of robust science education programs, including access to quality resources and qualified teachers, disproportionately affects the approximately 60% of students in our county who live in low-income households. In fact, students in low-income communities are less than half as likely to have science programs in place in their schools. Many schools in South and East L.A., where PS Science has a significant presence, are considered "STEAM deserts," meaning they lack basic STEAM resources and opportunities for students. This deficiency puts students at a disadvantage academically as they move toward high school and can hinder their ability to compete in STEAM fields, limit their career options, and perpetuate cycles of disadvantage.
By making STEAM education accessible, engaging, and aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), PS Science helps to ensure that every child has the tools and opportunities to explore their potential.

A grant will support our strategic growth as we expand our capacity to serve more TK–8 students across LA County with equitable, high-quality STEM education. We will deliver weekly, in-class, hands-on science lessons and targeted out-of-school enrichment for over 11,000 students, including after-school coding and robotics clubs, and 2-week S-TEAM Rangers summer camp. Strategic partnerships—with Boys & Girls Clubs, LA Dept of Rec & Parks, libraries, Al Wooten Center, Freedom Schools, and LA STEM Collective—extend our reach and enhance year-round learning for under-resourced youth.
New this year, we are evolving our Family Science Nights and building on our successful Family STEM Quest—a large-scale, community STEM event where families rotate through themed hands-on challenges to launch a series of portable Mini STEM Quests. These immersive quests move beyond isolated science activities by integrating storytelling as a core teaching tool inviting families to solve real-world challenges through interactive, themed journeys. Each quest is designed to spark collaboration, critical thinking, and curiosity while reinforcing science standards and making STEM learning fun and culturally relevant.
What sets us apart is our team of expert instructors who bring science to life through engaging, inquiry-driven lessons that foster deep understanding. Our expanded family-centered approach brings this model beyond the classroom, positioning families as collaborators in scientific discovery.

With advanced skills and increased confidence to think creatively and collaboratively, students can have an early start in identifying STEM professions as viable career paths. Expansion will extend our impact and inspire the next, more diverse generation of innovative STEM leaders.
Our Impact:
–Providing STEM education to 11,000+ TK-8th students across 200+ LA County classrooms (majority Title 1) and 100+ out-of-school program sites.
–75% of students demonstrating measurable improvements in science proficiency and at least 80% reporting increased interest in STEM fields.
As we expand our footprint, we envision our Mini STEM Quest model becoming a scalable, replicable framework for family engagement in STEM education. Long-term, we will package quests into toolkits to be adopted by schools and community organizations across CA and eventually, nationwide, ensuring more families can access joyful, hands-on STEM experiences that foster intergenerational learning and community connection.