Duke Energy grant brings STEM to Florence Boys & Girls Club

FLORENCE, S.C. — The Duke Energy Foundation recently presented the Florence Boys & Girls Club with a $15,000 grant to equip and establish a STEM lab for its members.

With technology changes incorporated during the pandemic to allow students to use the Florence club during the day for virtual learning, the club’s computer labs became obsolete.

With club members able to use computers in any room within the club, club staff began reimaging how to best repurpose the computer lab.

A STEM lab — a place for youth to interact with technology in constructive and creative ways — seemed a natural fit.

The STEM lab includes new furniture designed for collaborative work, SMART Board, 3-D printers, and other equipment and start-up materials.

“The STEM lab will open so many doors for our club members,” Florence unit director Justin Newton said. “Consistent hands-on experience with technology will improve grades, boost confidence, and lead to career opportunities they might never have considered.”

STEM opportunities often lack in communities of color, which defines the majority of the club’s population.

Between 2017 and 2027, the number of STEM jobs is anticipated to grow 13 percent. The club seeks to prepare youth, especially girls and people of color who are underrepresented in the field, for jobs in medicine, engineering, and technology.

The goal for the STEM lab is for youth to have a welcoming, interactive environment in which to engage with STEM and explore and experience new interests. The hope is to see club members well represented among tomorrow’s doctors, engineers, mathematicians, and scientists.

“We welcomed the opportunity to partner with Duke Energy Foundation to continue bridging the gaps in STEM in an afterschool environment,” said Mike Woods, director of programs and evaluation for Boys & Girls Club. “After school is an important block of time that lends itself to exposing youth to a variety of experiences. Taking this opportunity to engage youth in STEM programming will emphasize innovation and creativity. As a result of Duke Energy Foundation’s support, our club members will benefit from the introduction of high-quality STEM programming that will assist them as they grow towards becoming lifelong learners.”