Techies
4Tomorrow
DCL, Inc.’s newest project is designed to improve academic preparation of young African American students with the goal of increasing their motivation and interest in entering and succeeding in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) school subjects and ultimately careers. Improving educational attainment has long been known to reduce poverty and improve the health of individuals, their families, and entire communities.
In today’s world, careers in STEM are thriving and make up a significant part of the workforce. Multiple studies have found African American students’ interest in STEM subjects is particularly low, especially during the early stages of the learning process (i.e. third grade level). Contributing to this challenge is the underrepresentation of people of color’s contributions to the STEM fields. It has been demonstrated that students are more likely to take an interest in areas where they see role models "who look like them."
DCL, Inc.’s digital STEM program, Techies4Tomorrow℠, addresses this missing link through a new digital learning tool designed to spark interest and excitement in STEM courses. The subject matter is aimed at students reading at the third through fifth grade levels. The software includes animated stories about accomplished African American STEM professionals whose life stories teach various aspects of the curriculum. While the focus is on young people of color, T4T appeals to a broad audience and all ethnicities benefit from learning more about the contributions of African Americans to STEM fields and gain a more comprehensive picture of American society.
Techies4Tomorrow℠ is a service mark of the Durham Colored Library, Inc.
