Time Warner Cable recently donated $80,000 to the
Cincinnati Museum Center as an extension of its
Connect a Million Minds project, a five-year initiative to support science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programming in communities across the country.
TWC is committed to inspiring young students to pursue a STEM-related education and careers. The program, along with President Barack Obama’s
Educate to Innovate campaign, launched in November 2009 and addresses the growing need for a STEM-skilled workforce.
TWC’s donation to the Museum Center will serve as an educational resource for students to learn about STEM and develop related skills through the Museum Center’s various programs, particularly the
Girls in Real Life Sciences (GIRLS) program. GIRLS is a series of hands-on activities that addresses girls’ (and boys’) confidence and interest in STEM programming.
Women make up 47 percent of the overall workforce; however, fewer than 30 percent hold STEM workforce positions, according to the
U.S. Department of Commerce. The Museum Center is hoping to bridge that gap.
“[STEM] programs are an integral part of youth education,” says Lindsay Riehl, the Cincinnati Museum Center director of corporate relations. “We want girls to learn, explore and find out how [STEM] translates into other things they might be interested in.”
Explorer's University, another STEM-focused program, is a series of family workshops for children between the ages of 9 and 15. The program features interactive workshops where children can learn about biology and anatomy through dissecting a marine organism or learn how astronomers explore space.
There are also programs available for children who aren’t able to visit the Museum Center.
Programs-on-Wheels brings authentic learning opportunities and hands-on projects to the classroom of local schools. There are a variety of programs to choose from, including natural history, social studies and science, all of which align with Ohio and national curriculum standards.
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