Grant Description

Explora's Statewide Outreach program provides free, experiential STEM engagement that scaffolds school-time learning with hands-on educational experiences in underserved communities across New Mexico.

Tracking Metric

Description
Explora respectfully requests continued FHL Foundation support to engage over 3,000 students living in tribal, rural, and remote areas of New Mexico in hands-on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning experiences. The 2020 Statewide Educational Outreach program increases student interest in and understanding of STEM through two mechanisms: 1) Classroom Explorations, 1-hour sessions inviting entire classrooms (20 students/1 adult per class x 2 classes per school) to take a deeper look at a specific STEM topic with materials-rich activities; and 2) Family Science Events, 2-hour bilingual community events where families (average of 70 students/30 adults) engage in mobile Explora exhibits together. Your support in 2019 enabled Explora to bring quality STEM education to 3,454 children living in communities without informal science education resources. With little to no access to experiential learning, these students score 23 points lower in standardized math tests compared to their more economically-advantaged peers (NM NAEP Results for 4th graders, 2019). By the 6th grade, these children will spend 6,000 less hours learning than middle-income peers, with over 4,000 of those lost hours accounted for by after school and summer programs (ExpandEDSchools, 2013). FHL remains critical to our efforts to level the playing field through visits to underserved communities across NM. Please continue to help us ignite curiosity, discovery, and the joy of lifelong learning.

Goal
3,000