Pittsburgh 12th Grader Selected to Join Million Girls Moonshot Flight Crew

HARRISBURG, Pa., March 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- STEM Next Opportunity Fund announced Million Girls Moonshot Flight Crew – a youth ambassador program championing access to STEM learning opportunities in afterschool and summer for all youth across the nation.

The 2024 cohort includes Oluwatomisin, a 12th-grader from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "Regardless of how other individuals might treat you in your field of interest, keep focusing on yourself because, at the end of the day, you are the one in control of your future and your overall life decisions," said Oluwatomisin.

Motivated by their impactful STEM experiences beyond the classroom, Oluwatomisin and other Flight Crew members will elevate youth voices to break down stereotypes and spark their peers' curiosity in STEM. These young leaders embody the Moonshot mission to engage millions more girls in STEM learning opportunities and inspire more youth to pursue a STEM career.

"PSAYDN is delighted to tap into the expertise of the Flight Crew," said Contrell Armor, director of the Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN). "Youth voice and insight into their afterschool STEM experiences will help us amplify the importance of our work and its impact on the lives of Pennsylvania's young people, their families and communities."

"We are excited to implement new training and ideas to amplify the experiences and voices of these inspiring young people. The Flight Crew is a part of STEM Next's strategy to grow STEM leaders so that we can make out-of-school STEM opportunities a reality for millions of young people to help them thrive for whatever comes next in their lives. We have so much to learn from these students," said Teresa Drew, Deputy Director of STEM Next Opportunity Fund and Executive Director of the Million Girls Moonshot initiative. 

The 2024 Flight Crew cohort includes 51 youth, ages 13-18, from all 50 states. Oluwatomisin will serve as a role model for youth in Pennsylvania and the nation, showing other young people what is possible with STEM. Learn more about the 2024 Flight Crew. 

Learn more at STEMNext.org and connect on Twitter/X and LinkedIn. Learn more about the Million Girls Moonshot at milliongirlsmoonshot.org and connect on Twitter/X, Facebook, and Instagram.

Learn more about PSAYDN at psaydn.org and connect on Twitter/X, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Read the full news release.

Contact: Kelly Swanson, 717-992-5964, [email protected]

SOURCE Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN)