Three Pennsylvania Programs Receive Million Girls Moonshot Catalyst Award

Awardees receives a $20,000 grant, training and resources to engage girls and underserved youth in STEM learning that cultivates an engineering mindset.

HARRISBURG, Pa., Oct. 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania STEM Ecosystems Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit, Philadelphia Education Fund, and Remake Learning Pittsburgh Regional STEAM Ecosystem have been selected as Moonshot Catalyst Awardees to engage more girls and underserved youth in deeper STEM learning. Awardees receive a $20,000 grant and gain access to key resources and professional development to shift practices to create more access and more inclusive STEM learning opportunities for students historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.

"PSAYDN is delighted that Pennsylvania is home to three of the 13 Moonshot Catalyst Awardees," stated Contrell Armor, Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) director. "These awards will help our leading STEM Ecosystems expand resources and training to more educators, educate students about STEM career opportunities, and address racial diversity and the gender gap in STEM fields."

Pennsylvania's awardees are:

• Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit (CSIU), Lewisburg, PA. CSIU aims to identify and nurture passionate STEM enthusiasts within community-serving organizations. CSIU will identify STEM leaders from diverse partner locations and provide specialized education opportunities. CSIU will also establish a STEM resource library and empower partners to host their own Remake Learning Days events.
• Philadelphia Education Fund, Philadelphia. For over a decade, the Fund has administered "Explore STEM Philly (ESP)." Through ESP, the Fund recruits and mobilizes STEM professionals to provide career presentations to middle and high school classrooms. Through the Moonshot Catalyst Award, they will expand ESP to afterschool, out-of-school time, and other informal education programs and students and provide teacher professional development to augment these presentations.
• Remake Learning Pittsburgh Regional STEAM Ecosystem, Pittsburgh. This program is a collaborative effort of the region's afterschool community to address racial diversity and the persistent gender gap in STEM fields. Support from Moonshot Catalyst Award will help build the instructional capacity of afterschool athletics programs, recognizing the potential to reach many underserved youth through sports.

Please visit the PSAYDN website for the full news release.

Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN) promotes sustainable, high-quality out-of-school time youth development programs through advocacy and capacity building to enhance the welfare of Pennsylvania's children, youth and families.

For more information, visit www.PSAYDN.org.

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

SOURCE Pennsylvania Statewide Afterschool/Youth Development Network (PSAYDN)