Thanks to a grant from the APS Foundation, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale (BGCS) is offering after-school science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) based youth programs to 72 kids ages 6-9. The program will be run in six of BGCS’s nine Club locations, including those on the Hualapai Indian Reservation and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Reservation.

The APS Foundation grant of $6,600 is being used to support three programs in partnership with FIRST LEGO League Jr., Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, and SEA Research Foundation. Each partner provides a unique age-appropriate curriculum that challenges the kids to learn about STEM with well-structured, hands-on activities.

“Thanks to this generous donation from the APS Foundation and the involvement of dedicated professionals in the field, our kids are experiencing the exciting potential of STEM,” said Dr. Lisa Hurst, Chief Executive Officer, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale. “Programs like these put our kids on the road to great futures.”

Through FIRST LEGO League Jr., kids learn about sources of the water they use every day, then present their findings at an expo. The Cal Ripken program teaches kids about STEM through sports, using scorekeeping as a mechanism to develop math skills. The program will conclude with a trip to a Diamondbacks game. Those participating in the SEA Research Foundation program will complete a study of endangered species and take a field trip to the Sea Life Aquarium.