Anonymous $1.4 million gift fuels STEM program expansion at Fox Valley Boys & Girls Clubs

FOX VALLEY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A big donation is making a big difference for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley.

Thanks to an anonymous donation of $1.4 million, BGCFV was able to fund “a transformative expansion” of their STEM and workforce readiness programs. Officials believe this investment will provide hands-on learning and career exploration opportunities to more than 4,000 youth annually within three years across Appleton, Menasha and Neenah.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says STEM-related careers are expected to grow by 8.1% through 2034. That’s more than 2.5 times faster than the growth rate of other occupations — making early exposure to these fields even more important.

STEM is the place, or the arena, where a lot of jobs currently live and will continue to live,” said BGCFV CEO Greg Lemke-Rochon. “Many of our young people come out of backgrounds with limited economic resources. What we’re trying to do is give them access to the kinds of careers and opportunities that they will enjoy and find rewarding, and will give them that living-wage job as they grow into adulthood.”

Highlights of the expanded STEM and workforce readiness initiatives, according to BGCFV, include:

• State-of-the-art Makers Labs at Club branch locations, designed to foster creativity, collaboration and innovation. These labs offer inclusive, project-based learning for youth of all skill levels and backgrounds.
• New and enhanced programming for youth, including immersive VR career simulations (Transfr Trek), robotics (VEX), coding, visits to post-secondary education campuses, job shadowing and the Level All career readiness platform.
• Dedicated STEM opportunities for girls, such as a week-long Girls STEM Summer Camp.
• New staffing infrastructure, including a full-time STEM & WFR Program Director and site-based coordinators to lead and sustain programming across Club locations.
• Measurable outcomes, including increased daily participation, improved STEM interest and efficacy, and stronger post-secondary education and career aspirations.

The goal is to use the $1.4 million gift to reimagine what STEM and career readiness looks like for youth in the Fox Valley and to create inclusive, inspiring programs that help young people discover and reach their full potential.