COLUMBUS, GA, October 13, 2021 – Let’s Grow STEAMx is proud to welcome Ms. Aisha Bowe, former NASA rocket scientist, to the Columbus area this week for a special college and career exposure presentation as part of the 5th Annual Youth College and Career Virtual Expo (YCCExpo), presented by Let’s Grow STEAMx.
This special presentation is one of the many highlights of the YCCExpo. Ms. Bowe is the featured keynote speaker at the event, which is slated to be held in early 2022.
Ms. Bowe will visit four schools in the Muscogee County School District: Downtown Magnet Academy, J.D. Davis Elementary, Rothschild Leadership Academy, and Kendrick High School.
Ms. Bowe is a serial entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and former NASA rocket scientist who is passionate about helping youth break stereotypes, stop internalizing false narratives, and pursue careers in the STEM disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. She founded STEMBoard in 2013 to deliver support to federal clients in solving complex problems, enabling integration of technology and mission at key points, and providing actionable intelligence.
Ms. Bowe regularly shares her story and message of self-empowerment in interviews and presentations worldwide. She speaks often as part of the U.S. State Department’s speakers’ program and has been the subject of many articles including in Entrepreneur Magazine, Inc.com, Fast Company, Wired, and Shondaland. She has received numerous awards for her dedication to technical excellence and the principles of diversity and opportunity.
“We know with certainty that exposure is a powerful tool,” stated Robbie Branscomb, Founder and CEO of Let’s Grow STEAMx. “Let’s Grow STEAMx encourages youth to explore and connect with a STEAM interest that excites and motivates them to strive toward personal and academic success, thus securing their futures. Let’s Grow STEAMx was founded because we understand that young people, particularly those in underserved communities, need to know the whole story. They need to know that STEAM can be a game-changer.”
The YCCExpo is a college and career exploration experience for youth in grades 4-12 where they can learn about the region’s broad range of careers and pathways to get there, hear from diverse voices sharing experiences and tips, and be introduced to leading employers, colleges, and training programs locally and around the country. The upcoming YCCExpo will see the addition of a virtual platform that will allow students from around the state of Georgia to participate in the event.
“The Youth College and Career Expo provides a unique opportunity for industries to meet and shape the ideas of their future workforce, while at the same time providing an opportunity for students to broaden their perspective about potential STEAM career pathways. This year we are pleased to support more youth in outlying rural areas by virtual means. Through our partnership with the Georgia Department of Education, we will serve over 40 school districts in southwest Georgia,” says Branscomb.
Let’s Grow STEAMx is honored to welcome Ms. Bowe to Columbus this week and as the special guest at the next YCCExpo slated for 2022. We’re excited for the youth of our community to learn from and be inspired by Ms. Bowe and all she has accomplished.
Sponsors of the Let’s Grow STEAMx 5th Annual Youth College and Career Expo include the Georgia Chamber, TSYS| A Global Payments Company, Georgia Power, Columbus Technical College, Amazon Future Engineers, Aflac, Fountain City Classic Inc., Pratt & Whitney, Columbus State University, Albany State University, Columbus Consolidated Government, Metro Power, and South Georgia Technical College.
ABOUT STEMBOARD
STEMBoard, an Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB), is composed of aerospace and defense engineers who are leading innovative and disruptive change within the defense and intelligence community. STEMBoard’s core competency is in creating real-time situational awareness applications that span the Cyber and C4ISR paradigms. Founded in 2013, STEMBoard is committed to closing the achievement gap by empowering historically underrepresented youth to build transformational technologies. Actively demonstrating a commitment to educating the underserved, STEMBoard collaborates with Historically Black Colleges and Universities to expose and encourage more students of color to pursue STEM careers as well as hosts STEM camps at no cost for K-12 students. In the last year alone, over 200 students around the world were able to benefit from the curriculum conceived, designed, and executed by STEMBoard staff members. For more information on STEMBoard, visit http://stemboard.org/.
ABOUT LET’S GROW STEAMX
Let’s Grow STEAMx brings together local educators, businesses, organizations, and community members to help our PreK-12 students discover and cultivate excitement for the STEAM disciplines of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math in an informal, fun, community atmosphere that activates greater depth of learning for participants. Our platform hosts a variety of engaging and relevant events, from educational challenges to our community race program. One of our signature events, the Youth College and Career Expo, has helped inspire thousands of youth in the Chattahoochee Valley and beyond to seek educational and career opportunities in the in-demand STEAM fields. For more information about the Youth College and Career Expo, please visit https://letsgrowsteam.org/yccexpo/. For more information about Let’s Grow STEAMx, please visit https://letsgrowsteam.org/.