STEM Education Program

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2016

The After School Zone successfully incorporates STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) programming into its activity choices and it is more impressive than ever before! The Zone’s STEM initiative started as a way to pique students’ interests by demystifying seemingly complicated fields, as well as promote education that will prepare them to study STEM subjects in college and pursue STEM-related careers. A basic understanding of STEM concepts and skills is vital to being a productive member of our workforce and Orange County has shown its commitment, through the Zone’s grant funding, to readying students by helping them gain the skills to compete in a global economy, producing a highly-qualified generation of researchers, workers, innovators, and teachers in the widespread fields of science, engineering, and technology. Beyond STEM-specific careers, employers in every field are looking to hire those who can work effectively with others to creatively solve problems – Orange County wants its students to have that edge. The After School Zone makes it a direct point to excite students about the complex world around them and urge them to be a part of the future – or make it themselves by nurturing a curiosity to which STEM itself is the true answer.