STEMup4Youth just opened a new chapter at our school! They are a non-profit organization founded in 2013, that gives students who join the opportunity to inspire the next generation to pursue a career in STEM. Twice a week, they bring children at Boys and Girls Clubs fun, hands-on STEM activities through interactive programs, events, and performances. This club meets every Friday during lunch and this program runs year-round.
The President of Cypress High School STEMup4Youth, Harsha Ragavan, said the purpose of this club is “…to inspire youth to get involved in STEM, while catering to the unprivileged communities nearby…We believe exposing young minds to new ideas is crucial to developing their interests, and providing them with access to a program like ours would be truly remarkable.”
Ragavan said something that motivated him to start this club was that “I remember being in 5th grade… I went to Boys and Girls Club at my school and different organizations would come in and conduct fun events for us and I vividly remember a STEM group that conducted a lava lamp experiment. As a kid, I was still exploring this path, but this program definitely sparked my interest in STEM.”
According to Ragavan, starting a club can be easy, but managing it can be challenging at times due to the workload from school and other activities. He shared that “it’s important to maintain a balance” and to also “be passionate about what you’re doing.”
Students can join STEMup4Youth by filling out a Google Form linked to their Instagram page: @chs.stemup4youth or by reaching out to them via email: [email protected].
