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Dr. Herman E. Walston, professor of Child Development and Family Relations, and David Flower Jr., director of the Promising Youth Center for Excellence, recently received a $2,000 Kentucky Out-of-School Alliance (KYOSA) Summer STEM mini-grant to engage more youth in science, technology, engineering, and math (S.T.E.M.) learning. The grant will be used to engage underrepresented youth populations (females, youth of color, youth experiencing poverty, youth living in rural communities, and youth with special needs). Activities of the grant will focus on improving youths' engagement with S.T.E.M.

According to its website, the mission of KYOSA is to support the continued growth, development, and accessibility of quality out-of-school programs to promote the success of children and youth. 

The overarching project goals of this funding opportunity are to:

• Build support among diverse stakeholders committed to increasing access and opportunities to quality Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programming in local communities during the summer months.
• Enhance current STEM summer programming through program development and resource distribution.
• Raise local awareness about the importance of STEM summer programs for underrepresented student populations.