Andrew and Walter Young Family YMCA Receives $10,000 STEAM Grant

Monteil Weeks, the group vice president of the Andrew and Walter Young Family YMCA, shares about the STEAM grant and their plans to utilize it.

The YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta received a $10,000 grant from alliantgroup LP and the National Systems Contractors Association to support STEAM-based learning in their afterschool program at the Andrew and Walter Young Family location.

STEAM Education is an approach to learning that uses science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics as access points for guiding student inquiry, dialogue and critical thinking. the Andrew and Walter Young Family Y hopes to use this curriculum to teach the youth in their facility how to solve real-life problems.

The alliant group shared more about this grant in a Facebook post reading, “This year, we donated $10,000 to the Andrew and Walter Young Family YMCA in Atlanta to help them grow their STEM Lab and had some fun doing science experiments with some of the YMCA kids and the NSCA members. We look forward to continuing to partner with our Strategic Advisory Board member Chuck Wilson from National Systems Contractors Association to continue to help close the gap from classroom to industry.”

We sat down with Monteil Weeks, the group vice president of the Andrew and Walter Young Family YMCA, to learn more about the grant and their plans to utilize it.

How is your facility utilizing this grant?

This specific grant will be used to support the hands-on STEAM projects that challenge youth to consider and tackle real world issues. This will include tools and program supplies that support the STEAM curriculum for elementary school age children.

How have the youth at your facility reacted to the new learning opportunities?

The first graders and youth ages five to 12 years old have enjoyed learning and understanding how they can work on projects using regular household items to solve real like problems. They can feel free to explore various concepts and reflect on their own creative process.

Anything else you’d like to add?

We are grateful for organizations and companies who are committing themselves to supporting youth in the southwest Atlanta community. Preparing our youth to be leaders and problem solvers in the technology world will prepare them for a successful future.