Hands on STEAM Lessons in Neighborhood Parks through Robotics and Coding

K-12 STEAM education

City of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a citywide benefit)

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

Students in under-resourced Los Angeles communities, especially in South LA, lack equitable access to high-quality STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) education. This gap widens during the summer, when learning loss disproportionately affects low-income youth. Without engaging summer opportunities, students may fall behind in critical thinking, tech literacy, and college/career readiness. Our youth experience barriers such as limited program availability, digital divides, and lack of exposure to real-world STEAM careers.
Citywide, we’ve seen first hand how providing access to hands-on learning, mentorship, and innovative tools can widen youths’ career goals and provide them with additional pivotal knowledge and necessary skills for the workplace. Now more than ever, it’s urgent to bridge this gap and equip our next generation with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

The STEAM Summer Day Camp Academy is a 7-week program for youth ages 7–12, offering hands-on learning in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math at 28 trusted LA recreation centers. Designed to prevent summer learning loss and inspire creativity, this program brings culturally relevant STEAM education directly into underserved communities.
What sets this initiative apart is its intentional design and proven foundation. The Department of Recreation and Parks has successfully piloted STEAM at select sites; this grant will fund a mobile STEAM team to expand robotics, coding, and media arts workshops citywide—providing equipment, training, and structured curriculum to ensure consistent, high-impact learning.
The curriculum is tailored by age group:
Ages 7–8: Coding with ScratchJr, building with LEGOs, physics-based sports games.
Ages 9–12: Building robots, exploring sports engineering, and creating short videos through STEAM Sports—filming drills with Meta Glasses to blend movement with media arts.
Teen mentors from prior STEAM initiatives will support instruction, fostering leadership and continuity. All instructors receive training in STEAM equity and youth development.
By embedding this scalable model within parks, we’re addressing a critical equity gap and preparing LA’s youth to thrive in a dynamic, tech-driven economy.

If successful, this initiative will spark early interest in STEAM by embedding robotics and coding into City-run summer camps, reaching at least 1,000 underserved youth. Participants will build foundational tech skills, gain confidence, and envision themselves in future STEAM careers—all while learning in safe, supportive park environments. Parents will see their children engaged and thriving. Long term, we aim to expand this mobile STEAM model citywide, creating a network of opportunities across all 15 Council Districts. By offering early, consistent exposure in accessible settings, we seek to close equity gaps, diversify the STEAM pipeline, and position Los Angeles as a leader in innovative, community-based education.