Outreach & Equity, STEM Action Grants
Six organizations empowering students with disabilities
As STEM education and STEM-related careers grow in both number and importance, making sure that these pathways are made accessible for all is key. Creating opportunities for education, engagement and career development in STEM fields for individuals with disabilities is a necessary challenge to overcome. These six organizations below are leading the charge.
While these organizations are focused specifically on accessibility, through the STEM Action Grants program, all 53 grantees were invited to participate in a webinar to learn more about programming focused on the topic. The webinar was led by Dianne Nutting, an accessibility and inclusion consultant with a background in accessibility in the performing arts who has recently also served as the accessibility coordinator for the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. All 53 community-centric organizations selected through the STEM Action Grants program received between $3,000 to $5,000 to help support their work.
International Network of STEM for the Blind and Low-Vision, in Columbus, Ohio, connects people from around the world who are blind or low-vision and have an interest in STEM to the resources they need to succeed in fields of their choice. In addition to sharing resources, this organization develops and provides programming from STEM camps to career training to help children and youth worldwide build the skills and knowledge base they need to succeed in STEM fields. The organization received $4,000 through the STEM Action Grants program and will use that money to develop STEM curricula.
The Norfolk Botanical Garden in Norfolk, Virginia, is the largest botanical garden in the state and is home to the award-winning children’s garden, World of Wonders. This garden has educational opportunities for learners of all ages, with options to explore flora from across the globe, learn about edible plants, participate in scavenger hunts and much more. Norfolk Botanical Gardens realized that the World of Wonders needed to be more accessible for all and will be using their $4,000 grant to install raised garden beds to better meet the needs of visitors with disabilities. The garden aims to inspire young people to develop a passion for a future in green industries.  These improvements will inspire even more children to develop a deep and lasting passion for nature.
Ridge Area Arc is an organization in Avon Park , Florida, which provides vocational and life skills training for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Inspired by a lack of resources available to their son, Franklyn and Mary Ellen Ward founded Ridge Area Arc to offer education and training for disabled children in the area. What began as a day school which served 17 children now provides 10 services, including training programs in agriculture and STEM, to approximately 190 individuals from the region with developmental and other disabilities. Ridge Area Arc received $3,000 through the STEM Action Grants program and will put this funding toward a soil science curriculum and equipment as part of their AG-STEM training.
SciAccess, Inc. is an organization based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, dedicated to breaking down barriers to STEM education and careers for individuals with disabilities. Their programming includes a STEM mentorship for blind students, a research initiative advancing disability inclusion in space travel, and a professional networking group that shares best practices in making STEM accessible to all. SciAccess is building a global community of learners and STEM practitioners, and the $5,000 they received will cover the ASL interpreting and CART captioning needs for their events. Their 2024 Conference will bring together a diverse community of researchers, professionals, students, educators, employers, and disability rights advocates, who are working together to expand skills, knowledge and opportunities in STEM fields for individuals with disabilities.
See3D, Inc. is based in Cincinnati, Ohio, and uses 3D printing to connect the blind and sighted communities by bringing together volunteers to print and distribute 3D-printed models that aid blind students in their studies. The organization also aims to spread awareness of the importance of accessible materials and independent living skills for blind individuals. See3D was initially founded as a printing request service for blind students, their parents and teachers. However, the organization now focuses on helping others start their own 3D printing programs to create even more pathways for accessing these key learning materials. A two-year grantee, See3D will use the $5,000 grant they received through the STEM Action Grants program to develop a more skilled volunteer base and purchase supplies.
Tech Kids Unlimited (TKU) is a Brooklyn-based organization on a mission to use computer science and technology skills to change the lives of neurodiverse students. This nonprofit inspires young people with disabilities to come together in a supportive environment to create, develop and share tools that help them pursue a future in tech. By creating supporting and nurturing individualized environments, TKU aims to shift the paradigm for education and employment for neurodiverse students and address gaps in access. TKU has received its third consecutive award of $5,000 through the program, which will again support their Digital Agency, a learning program for teens and young adults. The program offers work-based learning opportunities which mimic a real work environment, with client-based projects that include logos, websites, videos and more.