IT Crowd

Project Theme: STEM accessibility and inclusion

Target Audience and Location: Idea Weslaco Pike High School students in Weslaco, Texas.

Vision: All students will have equal access to fun learning opportunities to explore and consider future careers in STEM.

Mission: To provide high school students project-based learning opportunities to help them prosper in STEM industries for an eclectic and successful future.

Project Description: Scholar Ana Garces and educator Scholar Natilisa Rodriguez wanted their project to combat preconceived notions and stereotypes about who STEM opportunities and careers were for. As Latinas, both passionate about increasing women of color representation in STEM, these two eventually landed on their project; to rebrand and reimagine an underutilized and overlooked after school STEM club.

Their goal was to design IT Crowd to be more inclusive to students who might not identify themselves as good at or interested in STEM. It’s centered on fun, hands-on learning opportunities to build curiosity and includes team building activities, guest speakers and field trips to see first-hand what working in various STEM fields is like, from people in their own community. They do this by hosting weekly, interactive after-school sessions with the aim of increasing the number of students interested in STEM and ultimately the number of students who consider and engage in STEM in their future academic studies and/or careers. To close out the academic year, the team is planning a school-wide STEM Fair which will serve as a platform for club members to highlight the exciting projects they’ve worked on to newly admitted students, so they are encouraged to join too.