On February 7, 2025, the General Atomics Sciences Education Foundation announced awards of $42,500 in funding to 7 organizations and programs to improve K-12 STEM education. 

1. $5,000 to Generation STEAM for hands-on science kits and lessons
The funds will support the 2024-2025 Biocom/Generation STEAM Life Science Innov8Ed multifaceted biology-based program that delivers hands on science kits and lessons to underserved (Title 1) schools across San Diego county, impacting 10,000 students and providing connections to local life science professionals in the form of company tours, career panels, internships, and teacher professional development. Funding supports facilitation and management of the program (delivering career panels, teacher training, virtual tours, in- person teacher tours at companies, and more), as well as assist in the purchase of the materials used by the student interns to build the kits. Students take part in three key lessons: Bacterial Transformation, Protein Purification, and Ocean Acidification. Also, 250 students from local high schools (Castle Park High School, Mira Mesa High School, Sweetwater High School, and Helix Charter High School) serve as biomanufacturing interns, building the program’s science kits. The programming employs specific strategies to address issues of inclusion: it increases the opportunities to interact with professionals, changes the image of STEM, provides youth with positive, diverse STEM role models, and provides experiences to encourage students to stay involved in STEM/life sciences and to pursue careers in these fields. The program has impacted over 13,000 students in 117 schools.

2. $10,000 to Greater San Diego Science & Engineering Fair for the 2025 Fair
The Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair (GSDSEF), is a highly respected event that has promoted science to all 6th -12th grade students in San Diego and Imperial counties, going on for 71 years. Over the years the GSDSEF has propelled thousands of students into STEM studies and careers, ranging from Astronomy to Zoology. We strive to not only promote scientific literacy and interest in the fields of science to the students, but also provide students with a valuable hands-on experience.
The GSDSEF provides opportunities for student recognition and invaluable networking for these students who aspire to pursue STEM careers. Annually, over 700 area professionals from the academic and business sector offer scholarships, internships and careers. In addition, students capable in excelling in the scientific fields are provided scholarship opportunities both directly with our science fair and in connection with other science fair programs. All funding for the GSDSEF goes directly into putting together the Science Fair and Outreach programs for the benefit of the student participants only. The Science Fair is operated fully by volunteers, who annually assist with science fair activities. We anticipate that the cost for the 2025 science fair at around $145,000.We anticipate 500-600 students to participate in this in-person fair, from 50-60 schools, grades 6-12. These students will represent the entire spectrum of diversity across all public, private, parochial, and potential home schools.  The Fair will take place on March 10-16, 2025.

3. $15,000 to Elementary Institute of Science for their Girls Take Flight program
Funds will support the 2024-2025 Girls Take Flight, a three-part program starting with kick-off events at select high schools. Students are introduced to the people, technologies, and careers related to drones. After the kick-off event, attendees can apply to participate in a weeklong drone camp. In the drone camp, 40 girls learn basic Python coding to program autonomous flight, build and repair a drone, meet professional women who use drones in their work, and practice on a drone flight simulator. Upon completion, all girls are eligible to apply for a practicum, where 15 girls will learn the skills required to become FAA certified remote pilots. This includes flying a drone and learning about regulations, weather effects, radio communication, inspection, and emergency procedures. Instructors assist students in preparing for their 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, comprising 180 hours of skill building. Program graduates earn a $2,500 stipend, allowing them to purchase a drone and immediately begin work in a STEM field.  Girls Take Flight is the first high school drone program for high school females in the United States. Participants are girls in 10th and 11th grades who attend a Title I school or reside in the ethnically diverse, low-income communities of southeastern San Diego, City Heights, and Paradise Hills. Participants are primarily Black, Latina, and Filipina. Every Girls Take Flight participant has enrolled in college after high school graduation.

4. $5,000 to MiraCosta College Foundation for their 2025 STREAM Festival
Funding will support the Mira Costa STREAM Festival on April 26, 2025. Funding would be used for supplies for STREAM demonstrations, uniforms for MiraCosta students, transportation for attendees, event rentals, marketing materials, personnel costs, and more. MiraCosta College students put into practice the STREAM concepts they are learning in class by designing fun and exciting hands-on activities that are culturally relevant to TK-8th-grade students. The Festival has young learners apply their knowledge and skills to engage in “real world” situations, and presenters are encouraged to weave art and literacy into their hands-on STEM activities.. This event is for children and their families and offers over 100 hands-on activities designed by MiraCosta students and invited community partners. Activities occur inside MiraCosta lab classrooms so that children can see the inside of a STEM/college lab/classroom and at outdoor booths. The target audience is local North County San Diego youth in TK-8 schools. While the whole community is invited to participate, special efforts are given to low-income and disadvantaged areas, mainly Title I Schools with higher than 50% free/reduced lunch population and/or schools typically serving low-income and first-generation college families. Over 2,000 individuals are expected to attend, with at least half of those served being low-income. In 2024, participants represented a diverse range of racial and ethnic backgrounds, with 55% identifying as Hispanic, 5% as Asian, 6% as Black, 13% as White, and 21% not reporting their racial or ethnic identity.

5. $5,000 to Library Foundation SD for their DiscoverU programs
Funding will support the expansion of the library’s STEM programs, including the new DiscoverU initiative, which offers a variety of college readiness, career preparation, life skills, and STEM programs at all 37 public libraries in San Diego. Funds will be used to support program delivery and instruction, program supplies, equipment, marketing and outreach, and evaluation.  This initiative includes hands-on STEM education to elementary and middle school students in topics such as geology, oceanography, astronomy; Game Jam, which teaches middle and high school students the foundations of video game development and design; Coding Together, which brings youth together to learn how to use coding and computer programming; and Entrepreneurship Boot Camp. To deliver these programs, the library partners with local organizations and subject matter experts, such as Girls Who Code, UCSD, RoboThink, and the Fleet Science Center.  The library supports individuals of all ages, ethnicities, and economic backgrounds.  However, 79 percent of its patrons come from low-to-moderate-income households and half of library users are in the low-income category. In underserved neighborhoods, the library is one of the few accessible resources for learning opportunities outside of school

6. $1,000 to  San Diego Integirls for their Math competition programs
Integirls is an award-winning global nonprofit founded to empower girls in STEM, especially mathematics. Our chapter, one of several around the country, is based in San Diego, California. Funds will be used before our competition in December 2024.  By providing this sponsorship for San Diego Integirls, our non-profit organization can encourage dozens of young mathematicians to compete and grow during our competitions. This funding will be used towards the guest speakers, funding the numerous prizes for the students, and the provided free lunch. The funds will support the 45 teams consisting of 108 students through the purchase of high-quality awards and cash prizes, as well as their free lunch in the middle of the competition. The expected demographics will be both female middle and high schoolers interested in the math competition. As part of the INTEGIRLS organization, our chapter will host two main competitions each year, one in the fall and the other in the spring. Any female or non-binary middle school and high school students who live near San Diego County are welcome to participate. These team-based competitions that encourage contestants to work together to solve difficult questions. This organization creates a community for girls to interact with each other and inspire them to pursue your passions. The goal is to foster and promote girls' passion for math and problem solving, an essential part of STEM, and ignite a sense of community for girls in this small yet driven group of people.

7. $1,500 to Association for Women in Science, San Diego Chapter for STEM outreach activities
The requested funds will provide support for K-12 activities scheduled for the 2024-2025 school year and will be used to purchase supplies that will be used for demonstrations and promotional materials for the following activities: Expanding Your Horizons, Greater San Diego Science & Engineering Fair, AWIS Spring STEAM event, SDSUs Society of Women’s Engineering Fall Girl’s Day Out event, Fall Chem Expo and Miramar College. AWIS-SD strongly believes in contributing to the community with the development of activities that will reach the diverse student population in San Diego County (46.5% Hispanic, 23.4% White, 10.2% African-American, 13.6% Asian, 0.6% Pacific Islander, 0.3% American Indian, 5.4% Multiracial).