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California teen Katelyn Liu brings free STEM workshops and kits to thousands

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The organization has delivered 459 workshops and distributed thousands of activity kits featuring practical projects like coding robots, building catapults, and designing wind turbines. Supported by 48 community partners including Title I elementary schools, libraries, and YMCAs, the group mobilizes dozens of trained youth volunteers across 21 chapters. Katelyn Liu also incorporated ecological initiatives such as wildlife hikes and habitat restoration to counter Los Angeles nature disparities, earning Eagle Scout honors for her work.

Key points

  • Grassroots initiatives led by teenagers can scale internationally to address educational…: Grassroots initiatives led by teenagers can scale internationally to address educational inequities in under-resourced communities.
  • Hands-on engineering activities combined with environmental restoration projects offer a…: Hands-on engineering activities combined with environmental restoration projects offer a comprehensive approach to youth science education.
  • Operations are sustained through diversified grassroots funding, including microgrants, d…: Operations are sustained through diversified grassroots funding, including microgrants, donated materials, restaurant fundraisers, and community festival sales.

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A homemade catapult, a miniature wind turbine or a simple robotics experiment can do more than just introduce a child to science. It can spark the confidence to imagine a future in engineering, technology or environmental research. In Katelyn Liu's case, a young lady from California, the foundation for an ambitious endeavor was established by making these experiences available to children who might not have had the opportunity to participate otherwise. Wow! What began in 2022 as a few free workshops held at a local library has grown into something much more than that. That's STEM, a youth-led nonprofit reaching thousands of students across continents. Scroll down to learn about her journey.

Making science accessible to everyone

According to the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, "Liu was the one who initiated WOW!" That's STEM addressing the lack of quality science education available to underserved students, particularly girls and children from under-resourced communities.

Her own experiences growing up interested in STEM shaped the initiative. Having once worried about whether she belonged in the field, Liu wanted younger students to experience…

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