Boys & Girls Clubs of America and Raytheon to Open Four New STEM Centers of Innovation for Military Families

photo credit: USNews.com

New centers in Arizona, Hawaii, New Mexico and Utah will expand STEM learning for military youth located on or near bases

WALTHAM, Mass.– Boys & Girls Clubs of America is opening four new STEM Centers of Innovation, in partnership with Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN). This marks 14 centers established to keep military youth on the path to great futures with science, technology, engineering, and math learning.

The new centers are:

  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson, Arizona, serving families of the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base
  • Boys & Girls Club of Hawaii, Ewa Beach, Hawaii, serving families of US Army Garrison Hawaii, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Marine Corps Base Hawaii
  • Hill Air Force Base Youth Program, Utah
  • Kirtland Air Force Base Youth Program, New Mexico

“Military families make tremendous sacrifices for our country, but those sacrifices should never include their children missing opportunities to explore the endless possibilities available to them,” said Jim Clark, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of America. “We’re proud to offer a safe, familiar space for military youth across the country and abroad, and with these four new STEM Centers of Innovation from Raytheon, we’ll be able to continue to build even more confidence and curiosity among these amazing kids to forge passions in STEM that will positively impact their future.”

The STEM Centers of Innovation are funded through Raytheon’s $5 million, multi-year commitment to BGCA, part of the company’s $10 million pledge to support military families and veterans.

In 2016, thousands of military-connected teens engaged with interactive modules and hands-on STEM activities at 10 existing STEM Centers of Innovation across the United States and abroad. Each location has 3-D printers, robotics workshops and high-definition video production and conferencing equipment.

These activities use real-world applications to help youth develop STEM skills and critical thinking outside of the classroom, in an effort to help develop the next generation workforce. Over the last decade, STEM-related jobs have grown at three times the rate of other jobs, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

“Through these Centers of Innovation, we want military children to be able to experience science, technology, engineering and mathematics in a supportive, hands-on environment,” said Raytheon Chairman and CEO Thomas A. Kennedy. “It is our hope that the centers will inspire them to pursue rewarding careers and become the next generation of engineers and scientists our nation needs to continue its technology and innovation leadership.”

The four new centers join a network of nine STEM Centers of Innovation located in the United States and one abroad:

  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego, serving families of Naval Base Point Loma, and Naval Base San Diego
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of the Pikes Peak Region, Colorado Springs, Colorado, serving families of Peterson Air Force Base, Widefield School District and U.S. Air Force Academy Youth Program
  • Eglin Air Force Base Youth Program, Florida
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio, serving families of Joint Base San Antonio (Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base, and Randolph Air Force Base)
  • Joint Base Andrews Youth Program, Maryland
  • Ramstein Air Base Youth Programs, Ramstein, Germany
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of South County, Chula Vista, California, serving families of Naval Outlying Landing Field Imperial Beach
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas, Killeen, Texas, serving families of Fort Hood
  • Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama, serving the families of Redstone Arsenal
  • Harford County Boys & Girls Clubs, Aberdeen, Maryland, serving the families of the Aberdeen Proving Ground

Boys & Girls Clubs of America (GreatFutures.org) for more than 150 years, has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, 4,300 Clubs serve four million young people annually through Club membership and community outreach.