Making creators: Local organization ignites curiosity with youth STEM education

By Jude McGee

In 2008, Shereka Jackson was coaching girls' basketball at a Phoenix high school when she noticed a lack of students prepared for college and a lack of STEM education there. She found that students were not prepared for college or STEM coursework. Growing up in a household of seven male cousins, Jackson developed a passion for engineering and a curiosity about the mechanics of technology. “What I saw was that if students weren’t coming from a certain income level, they didn’t have the same access to hands-on STEM education,” Jackson said. She founded Future Stars, Inc., a nonprofit, in 2008 as a community coaching and workshop program that traveled to schools and community centers. Since then, it has grown into an impactful, Hands-On STEM Program that aims to create opportunities in kinesthetic learning. 

Today, Future Stars, Inc offers two Hands-On STEM programs at Phoenix-area recreation centers on school days during the school year, serving 30 students at each location. The program serves youth ages 7 to 15. A free extra-curricular activity, it aims to reduce the cost burden of after-school activities.  

“We strive for young adults and youth of color to not only be consumers of technology, but creators of technology,” said Jackson. “We want them to learn about it to prepare them for a job that might not currently exist.” 

Jackson, an Arizona native, created Future Stars, Inc in part to fill a gap for communities in the state. According to Education Forward Arizona, only 27.8% of eighth-graders in the state are prepared to be successful in high-school math, as Arizona’s demand for STEM careers continues to grow. According to the Arizona Technology Council, Arizona is projected to add over 700,000 new jobs by 2030, with the fastest-growing industries being education, health, and construction. 

Future Stars, Inc programming culminates in an annual STEM fair held in April. Last year, on the 10th anniversary of Future Stars, Inc., the fair exceeded expectations, drawing 463 attendees and offering 30 STEM activities. The fair hosts booths featuring local leaders in STEM fields, each showcasing hands-on STEM experiences for students. The fair also supported 15 small businesses to provide food and merchandise.

“I’ve been bringing my children to the fair for the last 10 years,” said Lisa Maxie, a parent of a Future Stars, Inc student. “They’ve really learned a lot about technology, and this really got them interested in it. They love to build.” The fair also partners with several foundations, sororities and fraternities, Arizona State University, and other organizations to provide an all-inclusive STEM experience for students. They help advance the program through financial support and STEM opportunities at the fair. 

Danielle Frost, with the Larry Fitzgerald Foundation, said: “This event has impacted our students with the foundation by allowing us to help bridge the digital divide. We’re really excited about the opportunity to have young, genius minds have a space where they can be creative and implement STEM as a part of their learning.” 

Looking forward, Future Stars, Inc. aims to be a powerful force in STEM education. The program seeks to increase staffing and, if feasible, develop a homeschooling curriculum that incorporates its STEM programming. According to Jackson, she would like the program to be accessible to senior citizens as well. “Those folks are often left behind in the tech world,” she said. “We’d love to bridge every gap in STEM.”

---

For more information about Future Stars, visit: https://futurestarsaz.org/ 

Image via Future Stars Inc.