Let's Create Access to Exploration with STEAM Odyssey

K-12 STEAM education

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

Research (initial work to identify and understand the problem)

Many students in underserved communities such as in South Los Angeles face systemic barriers to quality STEM education. STEM schools in Los Angeles, such as STEM Preparatory Schools, are dedicated to providing rigorous, hands-on STEM curricula that are culturally relevant and inclusive. These schools focus on closing the socio-economic, ethnic, and gender gaps in STEM fields by offering free hands-on learning to challenge learners to think outside the box to see the world in a new perspective. These programs aim to make a positive impact through events like maker faires, and community outreach that addresses the specific needs and interests of their communities. However, the city at large is still facing shortages of these types of learning programs. The systemic discrepancy is growing larger, increasingly affecting our students' ability to access a fair and equitable education. Resource deficiency is problematic and funding is depleted to fill the requirements of academic contents.

LA STEM Odyssey is a nonprofit organization that will be located in the heart of South Los Angeles. Created through collaborative efforts between a STEM Director from an Alliance College- Ready School, and the CEO of Havens House Youth Services, our target consumer are the underserved and underrepresented populations that face daily basic challenges, most specifically obtaining access to meaningful science, math, and engineering education. The STEM Director, Claire Go-Trasoras has built several successful programs and mentorships through community outreach and partnering with local organizations. Mrs Go-Trasoras established the pilot STEM Department at Kory Hunter Middle School in Compton-Figueroa, with STEM classes to fit the growing intellectual and creative needs of the school's 6th to 8th grade students. Mrs Go-Trasoras and Dr. Carr- Johnson, the school's principal, are joining together to bring a STEAM hub that offers high-quality mentorship from graduate students from local universities, such as USC, CalState LA, and UCLA, learning labs- for preK and younger learners, maker's stations, material science and engineering labs, a podcast, AI/VR, and classrooms that are structured to guide students through a sequence of learning experiences focused on STEM principles. The program will connect students to resources, mentors, while preparing them for college, careers, and lifelong success in STEM-related fields through a clear roadmap starting from their current grade-level.

Los Angeles will benefit from our work through the following:
Educational Equity: LA STEAM Odyssey will close the opportunity gaps by helping to reduce disparities in academic achievement among Black, Latinx, and low-income students and providing equal access to high-quality learning and resources. Increased Participation in STEM: When students from South LA, Compton, and Watts see themselves as scientists, engineers, it changes their perspective about their future. College-Ready Students: Students will be better prepared for higher education in competitive STEM fields, increasing college graduation rates in communities that have historically been left behind. Building Local Talents: We are investing in our community members to be competitive, and Instead of importing workers, companies could hire locally, reducing unemployment in marginalized areas. If our program succeeds, it will not only improve test scores—it will empower our youths, and redefine what opportunity looks like.