By Amanda Meri, Interim Executive Director, Casa Chirilagua
Alexandria, VA – Summer is in full swing at Casa Chirilagua! We welcomed our students back for our first-ever Space STEM Summer Camp in partnership with another Alexandria nonprofit organization, Code Rising. Our partnership aims to bridge the opportunity gap in STEM and space exploration education among Hispanic youth.!
Why is this important? Hispanic American workers remain underrepresented in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) workforce. According to a Pew Research Center report, Hispanic adults make up 17% of total employment across all occupations in the U.S. but represent only 8% of all STEM workers.
Similar patterns are seen in education, where the share of Hispanic American students earning STEM degrees is lower than their share of all degree recipients. This lack of diversity comes from inequities in educational support and opportunities.
Factors such as the belief that STEM subjects are too difficult, limited access to high-quality education, and a lack of mentors to encourage them are why some Hispanic young people do not pursue STEM degrees.
This summer, students at Casa Chirilagua took a leap into the future, immersing themselves in coding, programming robots, and even racing them. We want to give a shoutout to the local businesses and organizations who helped us make this program happen.
We’re grateful for Dominion Energy and Amazon’s support in providing our students this educational opportunity. Amazon generously hosted a fun STEM Day at HQ2.
Thank you, Killian Cousins and Computer CORE, for your generous donation of laptops to expand digital literacy and provide our students with access to technology.
We extend our deepest appreciation to Virginia Tech and its exceptional graduate students, whose exemplary leadership in our classrooms made this program possible.
Thanks to Café Pizzaiolo and Pork Barrel BBQ for providing nourishing meals to our students
We extend our sincere gratitude to Michelle Millben, CEO of Code Rising, for her unwavering dedication and tireless efforts in developing this program for our youth.
By joining forces, we create a pathway to numerous opportunities, igniting a passion for technology and innovation in the next generation.
How can you get involved at Casa Chirilagua?
Volunteer
We seek volunteers for our mentoring and after-school programs to become reading buddies, assist with homework, participate in games and team-building activities, lead art projects, prepare and facilitate small group Bible study, and join us on off-site trips. Your support can make a difference and impact the community.
Donate
If you can help financially, please go to casachirilagua.org/en/give/. Your help will be greatly appreciated.
Casa Chirilagua is a community of people “learning together to love their neighbors as themselves” in a Latino neighborhood in Alexandria, Virginia. We are a faith-based Christian 501(c)(3) nonprofit with 14 staff members and over 100 weekly volunteers who serve more than 80 children (1st–12th grades) and their families via multiple programs. Visit casachirilagua.org to learn more about our organization.
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