Boeing awards $100,000 to Think Together STEM

The Boeing Company has awarded $100,000 in grant funding to Think Together’s Southeast Los Angeles County region. This grant marks their third year of funding at $100,000 and has created a K-12 STEM continuum, serving more than 16,000 students across the cities of Bellflower, Lynwood and Compton. Boeing’s support of Think Together’s STEM programs was covered by the Orange County Register over the weekend on January 22. 

At Think Together, students are provided instruction in introductory coding, robotics, and logic through our Coding For All initiative and other expanded learning and enrichment curriculums. Programming supported by Coding For All includes visual and text-based code editing, e-sports competitions, rapid-prototyping, STEM career explorations, Invention Adventures activities, and Hack Clubs in Los Angeles county as well as in Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, Alameda and Santa Clara counties.

Boeing employees have contributed to the program serving as judges for competitions, conventions, and career panels. Through the funding and support provided by Boeing, Think Together has been able to offer a robust STEM curriculum and support to these traditionally under-resourced students. Many of Boeing’s employees have similar backgrounds as the students Think Together serves, and this partnership makes visible the future successes our students can achieve.

​​​​​“Boeing is proud to support an organization like Think Together that inspires our youth to engage in opportunities involving math, science and technology,” said Kristie Hernández, Senior Government & Community Relations Specialist at Boeing. “By partnering with Think Together, we are helping local students receive equitable education resources that can propel them for success now and in the future.”

Knowledge from STEM courses is becoming increasingly more vital for careers out of college. Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts are critical, but so are the traits developed like ingenuity, creativity, problem-solving, resilience, teamwork, and the willingness to take risks.  

“We are grateful for partners like The Boeing Company who believe education is the key to changing the odds for kids,” says Randy Barth, founder and CEO of Think Together. “STEM knowledge is integral to future success and Think Together is proud to offer that knowledge to students through our partnership.” 

Think Together prides itself in cultivating an environment where students feel safe to make mistakes and learn the concepts through STEM projects. There has been an assortment of STEM lessons and challenges throughout the 2021-22 school year that are based on the undergirding of rapid prototyping and coming up with creative solutions in a timed setting. One STEM challenge was to build a skyscraper using Lego kits.

Students worked together to see who could construct the tallest skyscraper without it toppling over and tested to see how strong their skyscrapers were. This challenge allowed students to think quickly and collaboratively to make the best skyscraper possible. Students describe the challenges as hard but fun and are always looking forward to the next opportunity to participate in an activity. 

“I love the way our students have become so creative through their STEM activities. They look forward to these hands on-minds on experiences,” said Virginia Servin, Think Together Quality Assurance Coach. 

These lessons get students excited about STEM, and students become the teachers when they bring these activities home to challenge family members. “My daughter asked me to purchase her own Lego kit to play with at home. She loves the activities she does at Think Together,” said one Think Together parent. 

Think Together is grateful for all of our partners who help contribute to our afterschool programs. Together we are giving students an extra level of support that they will carry with them the rest of their academic career.