Despite an abundance of cutting edge technology a stone’s throw away, Silicon Valley youth from low-income families have limited exposure to the inner workings of high-tech companies. Marginalized students lack access to technology learning experiences and exposure to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) career opportunities. The absence of technology in the lives of underprivileged youth hinders exploration of their true potential.
On the other end of the spectrum, youth from high-income Silicon Valley communities are surrounded by STEAM education from a young age. With parents and role models in technology and engineering jobs, students are overloaded with opportunities to learn skills like robotics and coding.
When these two groups of students come together with a shared desire to learn and grow, pure magic happens.
This summer, learning runs rampant at Lewis and Joan Platt East Palo Alto Family YMCA, where teens teach teens the fundamentals of robotics and coding as part of the Y’s Full STEAM Ahead program.
The collaboration came to life thanks to a Los Altos Botball Robotics parent, Li Liu. Coordinating with Y leaders, Liu organized volunteers from Los Altos Botball Robotics to bring equipment, expertise and enthusiasm to East Palo Alto teens.
The peer to peer program engages middle and high school students in a fun and accessible technology experience. The unique learning environment offers participants a safe space to explore technology through robotics and coding, while volunteers develop leadership skills and experience the joy in giving back.
Reluctant participants have opened their minds with heavy doses of peer encouragement. Meera Srinivasan, a volunteer and rising senior at Homestead High School in Cupertino is excited to inspire girls her own age to consider a STEAM career. “Even if they’re not feeling confident in themselves, I’m fortunate to be in the position where I can build them up and maybe push them farther into STEAM than they thought they could ever go.”
Participants and volunteers alike are learning valuable life skills and building self-esteem. “I really enjoy trying to teach someone.” Ashwin Hingwe, rising senior at Mountain View High School says of volunteering. “I feel like this leadership experience is valuable because not only is it helping others, which is a goal for the rest of my life, but it’s also reinforcing for me the concepts that I’m teaching.”
Each week, bonds strengthen and excitement towards coding and robotics grows. “With robotics, it may seem hard at first, but it’s never as hard as they think. I like that we’re able to break down barriers with STEAM,” Srinivasan says of watching her peers start to recognize their own potential. “They realize they can do whatever they set their mind to.”
In addition to gaining technology skills, Full STEAM Ahead participants receive access to a variety of wellness activities, including swim lessons, nutrition counseling, and career exploration field trips.
“Although other programs offer coding or robotics, ours is the only one that offers everything,” Y Staff Loree Watanabe explains. “It’s an outlet for youth during the summer. We’d rather have them here being interactive and engaged versus being home alone or playing video games all day.” Instead of spending summer at home glued to the TV, these teenagers are learning building blocks for a bright future. Wang describes, “It doesn’t matter your background — if you put an equal amount of work into robotics you get the same result. It’s all built on hard work.”