We Believe In Change
Geeks Rule promotes the study of and engagement with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) among underserved youth.
Our Vision
Within five years our goal is to reach 12,000 underrepresented minorities (URMs), with 1,500 having significant, life-impacting experiences in our more-intensive programs. Of this latter group, more than 60% of these students will attend college, with most pursuing studies in a STEM field.
The United States is failing our youth due to an ineffective educational system and a lack of STEM learning opportunities. Our youth are not equipped with the necessary skills to succeed in the 21st Century workplace.
PROBLEMS IN STEM EDUCATION
- Compared to their global peers, U.S. students ranked 27th in math and 20th in science (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 2015)
- The U.S. trails other developed countries in STEM degrees as a percentage of all degrees (Accenture Institute for High Performance, 2011)
PROBLEMS IN STEM EMPLOYMENT
- While the overall economy has a glut of job seekers, STEM companies cannot find enough qualified employees (Change the Equation, 2012)
- 2.4 million job vacancies for STEM occupations are projected by 2018 (Georgetown Center for Education and the Workforce)
PROBLEMS FOR UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITIES IN STEM
- URMs are less likely to pursue a degree in a STEM field
- The reasons are varied, including:
- Schools that serve lower-income neighborhoods tend to employ less-experienced teachers
- These teachers tend to have less specialized training in STEM, and have fewer resources available
- URM students are ill-prepared for the rigors of college-level math and science
- URMs have few minority classmates, so they feel socially unwelcome
- STEM education needs to be more hands-on and practical, especially for girls
- URMs have far fewer role models
- Schools that serve lower-income neighborhoods tend to employ less-experienced teachers
Our Solution
Geeks Rule will implement several programs with increasing levels of student engagement, leading to a cadre of students with a strong interest and foundation in pursuing STEM in their post-secondary academic careers. This step approach will be conducted in partnership with secondary schools and other afterschool program providers in the New York City metro area. The programs are designed to address the issues above by leading students through the stages of Awareness, Exposure and Support. The programs that will be offered include:
- Speaker Series (Awareness)
- Geek-for-a-Day (Awareness)
- Geek Afterschool Program (Exposure)
- Geek Afterschool Clubs (Exposure and Support)