Why we’re doubling-down on STEM

We’re not ready for the future. It’s time to up our game.

You remember it if you read it: Pennsylvania students are spending 12 years in school but are trying to enter the workforce at a level of skill 3 years behind others.

You may also remember when we reported just how unprepared the U.S. was for the coming age of intelligent automation, trailing 8 other countries, including Estonia, in retooling their school curriculum and teacher training.

Students are graduating without the skills they’ll need to compete in the future. This is true for other subject areas, but particularly for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

“The fundamentals for students are reading, writing, arithmetic, and computer science,” says prominent tech ed evangelist Bob Moul. He’s working hard to make sure all students in the district will learn these fundamentals in the future…but we’re not there yet. 

The lack of STEM skills isn’t due to lack of interest, but a lack of opportunity. Most kids are eager to partake in the brave new world already defining much of their lives today. But if things don’t change, they’re far more likely to be overshadowed by it than help to build it. 

That’s why PCCY is doubling-down on STEM for our 2nd annual fundraiser STEMCraft, which will take place Saturday, October 6, at School of the Future, just blocks from the Philadelphia Zoo. (We even changed the name from Block By Block Party.)

Once again, our main event is all about Minecraft, the gaming phenomenon hailed as a boon to creative play that promotes STEM learning. Kids will compete in or collaborate on Minecraft challenges for fun prizes and special awards. But that’s not all.

While gaming sessions will be rolling all day long, so too will our bigger and better STEM fair, featuring over 20 organizations offering dynamic activities for attendees, including the Franklin Institute, the Philadelphia Zoo, and Academy of Natural Sciences.

Finally, as a perfect illustration of the gap between interest and opportunity, one of the big hits of last year’s event was a drop-in coding workshop, run by Coded By Kids. Due to demand from kids (and parents!), Coded By Kids is back, joined by TechGirlz, offering a total of 5 coding workshops for those that pre-register. 

This year, as the event did last year, STEMCraft will bring high tech tools to public schools through PCCY’s Turing Tech Grants. Four grants were awarded to area public schools focusing on boosting coding and robotics skills, particularly for girls. We hope to double the number of grants this year.

“Groups like PCCY are not only shining a light on the need for greater tech ed in the district but actually making it happen for students,” said Bob Moul, who advised PCCY on their Turing Tech Grants, made possible with the proceeds of last year’s Minecraft event.

If you haven’t already, bring a smile to the faces of the Minecraft fans and future scientists in your life by reserving your tickets to STEMCraft (don’t forget the discount code SMART to save $7). If you’re able, won’t you consider sponsoring tickets for those children who wouldn’t otherwise be able to come?

childrenfirstpa.org/STEMCRAFT

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THANKS TO OUR AMAZING STEM FAIR PARTNERS!
Academy of Natural Sciences
ASAP/After School Activities Partnerships
Asthma Rangers
Clean Air Council
Climate and Urban Systems Partnerships
Coded By Kids
Education Works
ESF Summer Camps
ESteem Girls
Facepainting by Annette
Fairmount WaterWorks Interpretive Center
Институт Франклина
Free Library of Philadelphia
Garden State Discovery Museum
Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania
Insectarium and Butterfly Pavilion
MoveMakers Philly
Philadelphia Fire Department
The Philadelphia Zoo
Raising of America
Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education
TechGirlz