STEM E3 is a hands-on, real-world STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) program primarily for girls of color in fifth through eighth grades across Boulder County, emphasizing education, employment and entrepreneurship.
STEM E3 provides education opportunities, career exploration and mentorship for young students of color through Introductory Jam Sessions with local and national tech leaders, Level 2 Coding Cohort Sessions, Summer Coding Camps and Level 3 Ambassador positions.
STEM E3 Participant
YWCA STEM E3 Level 2 Coding Cohort
Wednesday, November 3, 10, 17, and December 1, 8, 15 and 22
4:30-5:30 p.m.
Este mensaje sigue en español.
Learn how to code with YWCA Boulder County’s STEM E3 and Curated Pathways. Enjoy a free online seven-week session in which we will discover the world of coding. If you have questions, please contact Karina Corral at: kcorral@ywcaboulder.org or (303) 443-0419.
Aprende a codificar con STEM E3 de YWCA del condado Boulder y Curated Pathways. Disfruta de una sesión gratis de siete semanas ofrecida en linea en la que descubriremos nuevas oportunidades de codificación para estudiantes. Si tiene preguntas, comuníquese con Karina Corral en: kcorral@ywcaboulder.org o (303) 443-0419.
Longmont Sister Cities Event
In September, YWCA Boulder County was honored to take part in STEM activities marking a new Sister Cities relationship between the City of Longmont and the Northern Arapaho Tribe of Wyoming. Three youth volunteers from our Level 3 STEM Ambassador Program gave a coding demonstration to youth visiting with the tribal delegation. The St. Vrain Valley Schools Innovation Center brought VEX IQ robots for the students to try. The event was hosted by the City of Longmont Youth Center.
2021 STEM E3 Summer Coding Camp
YWCA Boulder County’s recent STEM E3 Virtual Summer Coding Camp introduced students in Boulder Valley and St. Vrain Valley school districts to computer science skills and STEM careers. Partnering with the City of Longmont and the Innovation Center, the STEM E3 camp was open to students entering 6th through 8th grade.
Presenters included Skylar Shaver, seen in the photo above sharing her work at CU Boulder studying black holes. Other presenters included a materials engineer from ExxonMobil and a chemist from Pfizer. Participants also spent time learning coding skills with Curated Pathways and CodeMonkey.
For more information about STEM E3, please contact Karina Corral at kcorral@ywcaboulder.org.
In 2019, YWCA Boulder was selected as one of two YWCA branches in the country to be awarded a grant by Google.org to increase Black and Latinx students’ access to computer science and artificial intelligence education. Google.org granted YWCA USA $2 million over three years to be split between 15 YWCA branches around the country to support the YWCA’s STEM E3 (Education, Employment and Entrepreneurship) program, which works with young women and girls in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
As of summer 2021, more than 450 students have participated since the STEM E3 program began in 2019. Introductory Jam Session hosts and partners have included Google, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Zayo Group, St. Vrain Valley Schools Innovation Center in Longmont, and City of Longmont Youth Center.
In response to the impact of COVID-19, the STEM E3 program switched to an all-virtual format in the spring of 2020. Introductory Level 1 sessions connect young women of color to STEM professionals through virtual panel discussions.
Level 2 advanced programming cohort sessions use a variety of introductory coding tools, including Curated Pathways to Innovation™ , a web-based app developed by YWCA Silicon Valley and partners that provides an engaging, culturally responsive platform for learning computer science skills.
Through these innovative tools and community partnerships, the STEM E3 program continues to thrive:
- Our spring 2020 cohort of 24 girls completed more than 600 technology badges and 350+ hours of STEM and coding programs.
- Our first Youth Who Code STEM E3 Virtual Summer Camp was held in July 2020. In partnership with Casa de la Esperanza and the City of Longmont Youth Center, we offered a four-day, two-hours-per-day program that sent 21 young students of color on their journey to learn the fundamentals of coding.
- The STEM E3 program curriculum was recently approved by Boulder Valley School District as meeting district standards for extracurricular activities, opening the door for more extensive program implementation.
- The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) hosted a STEM E3 Virtual Jam Session on October 19, 2020. Zayo hosted another Jam Session on November 16, 2020. Learn more in our blog post.
- NIST hosted another STEM E3 Virtual Jam Session for Longmont-area students on February 12, 2021.
- 30 students from Boulder Valley and St. Vrain Valley school districts participated in our seven-week cohort program in spring 2021, using the Curated Pathways platform. Students who completed the course received a free Chromebook to continue practicing their coding skills.
- 19 students completed our virtual summer camp in July 2021.
Google Tech Session Kicks Off Boulder County YWCA Stem Program for Girls of Color – Daily Camera, September 16, 2019
Google Hosts “Made with Code” Party for Local High School Girls – Daily Camera, December 6, 2018
If you would like more information about this program or how a young person of color in your life can participate, please email Karina Corral, Manager of Community Engagement and Equity, at kcorral@ywcaboulder.org.