DAYTON — The Boys & Girls Club of Dayton is putting money towards Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education programming for kids in West Dayton.
During their first annual SPARK Great Futures event on Thursday, the organization raised more than $150,000 for STEM programming, exceeding their goal of $100,000.
>> Divers find SUV of missing Ohio mom, 2 children on river bottom after nearly 20 years
Devon Valencia, Spark event co-chair and CareSource chief information officer, said spoke about the need for STEM in communities like those in west Dayton, where children lack access to education programs that will prepare them for the jobs of the future.
“The pandemic had an outsized impact on the children and families we serve, and the STEM education gap has only widened,” Valencia said. “So this is a critical time to reinvest in quality education programming so that all children can build a bright future regardless of their socioeconomic background.”
>> SURVEILLANCE: Several students injured, taken to hospitals after school bus crash in Middletown
Tara Marlow, Boys & Girls Club of Dayton CEO, thanked the community and local business leaders for their support in the event.
“With this generous support from [them], we can achieve our goal of building young people’s interest in STEM-related careers and providing new opportunity for them,” Marlow said.
©2021 Cox Media Group
