69

days left

End Date:
12/31/2025

Investing in Our Future: A STEM Initiative for the Youth in Rural Texas

I. Executive Summary
This proposal requests funding for a free, after-school STEM education program to address the technology education gap facing Hamilton County youth. Despite strong graduation and college enrollment rates, local students lack access to modern technology learning. The Code Kings Hamilton, Texas Youth in STEM DEVELOPMENT program aims to make technology and coding both accessible and engaging for all youth in the county.
II. Statement of Need: A Community at a Crossroads
Hamilton County shows promise but faces significant challenges. Youth have a high 88.1% high school graduation rate and a 57.4% college enrollment rate, both above state averages. However, a 21.1% poverty rate and a median household income 40% below the state average limit their opportunities.
A major challenge is the lack of technology education resources. Middle school students have almost no access to coding, robotics, or engineering programs. This 'technology desert' suppresses talent and limits future skills. For example, Ella, an eager eighth grader, spends afternoons at the library searching for online coding tutorials. But without structured guidance, her interest remains unsupported. Many of her peers face the same problem. Clearly, innovative programs are urgently needed to nurture these talents and close the education gap.
III. Project Description: A Community-Centered Approach
The initiative aims to build a sustainable STEM education system by engaging students, families, and local organizations in both planning and implementation. This ensures programs address community needs, fostering shared responsibility and strengthening long-term support for the STEM initiative.
The program will be a free, inclusive after-school club for grades 6-8. Students will participate in engaging technology activities, receive support from mentors, and develop key coding and critical thinking skills. Projects like simple games or sensor-based pet feeders will connect their interests to real-world applications, encouraging innovation and exploration.
• A Proven Model: The club will be based on the principles of the Raspberry Pi Foundation’s Code Club, creating a non-formal, project-based environment where youth can explore, design, and build confidence. In the words of one Code Club mentor, it is a place where youth “enjoy more, and you can see they have skills to do things that we otherwise don’t notice.”
• Community Hub: Hosted at Hamilton Public Library, the club will serve as a community resource, recruiting from all local youth organizations and offering a safe, inspiring community youth activity. By collaborating with existing local assets like the Hamilton Public Library and the local schools and leveraging the expertise of volunteer mentors throughout the community, the initiative builds on the area's strengths. This approach ensures the club is well-integrated into the community and supported by already established networks.
IV. Outcomes and Evaluation: Measuring Community Impact
Following the data-driven principles of the Raspberry Pi Foundation, we will rigorously measure our impact on both individual participants and the community at large. We will track:
• Youth Engagement: Participation rates in the Youth Code Club and enrollment in community activities. This metric will assess the program's accessibility and its ability to attract and retain participants, indicating the level of community interest and integration.
• Skill Development: We will use pre- and post-program surveys to measure changes in participants' confidence, interest in STEM careers, and understanding of basic concepts. Rubric will also help us track technical skills gained, focusing on coding, problem-solving, and project work. Together, these methods will give us a clear picture of how the program helps each student grow.
• Community Impact: We will monitor long-term outcomes, such as enrollment in the high school STEM endorsement pathway and, eventually, the number of individuals pursuing STEM majors and careers.
V. Conclusion
This initiative represents a pivotal investment in our youth, delivering benefits that reach beyond standard development programs. By providing access to modern technology education, hands-on learning experiences, and mentorship, students will gain critical skills and confidence for the contemporary world. This grant enables participants to reach their full potential, creating a solid foundation for a thriving, innovative Hamilton County. Bridging the opportunity gap, the program builds the next generation of leaders, innovators, and creators for a brighter community future.
References
Gmail - Concern: Teacher Certification and Educational Opportunities for Beau Patek (5th Grade). (2025). Google.com. https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ik=332b400b64=pt=all=thread-a:r-6098526309880661243=msg-a:r6483830519390037056=msg-f:1841547935949890853=msg-a:r8772937887505258542
Hamilton County, TX | Data USA. (2023). Datausa.io. https://datausa.io/profile/geo/hamilton-county-tx
Higher Ed Outcomes: Hamilton County. (2017, August 25). Texas Public Schools: Higher Ed Outcomes. https://schools.texastribune.org/outcomes/counties/hamilton/
Raspberry Pi Foundation. (2025, September 4). Impact. Raspberry Pi Foundation. https://www.raspberrypi.org/research-impact/impact


Looking Forward…
Sustainability
How will the program be sustained after the initial grant funding ends?
Our sustainability model is built on three core pillars: community ownership, diversified funding, and strategic partnerships.
• Community Ownership: During the grant period, we will establish a "Friends of the Code Club" volunteer committee. This group, composed of parents, mentors, and local leaders, will be trained to take over operational leadership, ensuring the program is run by the community, for the community.
• Diversified Funding: We will transition from reliance on a single grant to a multi-stream funding model. This includes securing annual sponsorships from local businesses, running community fundraising drives, and applying for smaller, recurring grants from local foundations like the Hamilton Community Foundation.
• Strategic Partnerships: By embedding the program within community hubs like the Hamilton Public Library and partnering with Hamilton ISD, we minimize overhead costs. We will also leverage free, high-quality curricula from partners like the Raspberry Pi Foundation to keep material costs low.
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Budget
What is the detailed budget breakdown for the requested funding?
While a full line-item budget is available in the appendix, the requested funding is allocated across four main categories designed for maximum impact and sustainability:
• Personnel (45%): This primarily covers a part-time Program Coordinator. This role is crucial for volunteer recruitment, training, scheduling, and community outreach, providing the organizational backbone that ensures long-term success.
• Equipment & Technology (30%): This is a significant one-time investment in laptops, robotics kits, and other hardware. This equipment will be owned by the program and used for years to come.
• Curriculum & Program Supplies (15%): This includes costs for any specialized software, consumables for projects (like 3D printer filament), and materials for hands-on activities.
• Marketing & Administration (10%): This covers community outreach, event costs for showcasing student projects, insurance, and other administrative necessities.
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Partnerships
Which specific local organizations and mentors have committed to participate?
We have secured foundational partnerships and are in active conversation with several others to ensure deep community integration.
Committed Partners:
• Hamilton Public Library: Will serve as the primary "Community Hub" for the after-school club, providing a safe, accessible, and well-known location.
• Hamilton ISD: Will function as our primary partner for in-school curriculum alignment and student recruitment, ensuring the program complements formal education.
Prospective Partners & Mentors:
• Hamilton County AgriLife Extension Office: We are coordinating with the local 4-H chapter leader to recruit teen mentors and engage their members in STEM projects.
• Hamilton Economic Development Corporation: They have expressed strong interest in supporting the initiative as a long-term workforce development strategy for the county.
• Local Businesses: We have started outreach to local businesses like Legend Bank and the Hamilton General Hospital to recruit skilled volunteer mentors in areas like data management, IT, and cybersecurity.
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Scalability
Is there a plan to expand the program to other age groups or nearby communities?
Yes, we have a three-year scalability plan designed for sustainable growth.
• Year 2: Elementary Expansion. We will pilot a "Code Club Jr." program for grades 3-5, focusing on foundational block-based coding and creative problem-solving.
• Year 3: High School Mentorship & Advanced Topics. We will introduce advanced workshops for high school students in topics like Python or web development. Graduates of this program will be eligible to serve as paid junior mentors for the middle school club, creating a virtuous cycle of learning and leadership.
• Beyond: Regional Workshops. Once our model is proven, we plan to develop a "STEM-in-a-Box" mobile kit to host weekend workshops in smaller, surrounding communities like Hico and Cranfills Gap, partnering with their local libraries.
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Evaluation
How will you ensure unbiased and rigorous evaluation of program outcomes?
Our evaluation process is designed for rigor and objectivity, based on the data-driven principles of the Raspberry Pi Foundation.
• Validated Instruments: We will use established and validated survey tools to measure shifts in confidence and STEM interest, ensuring our data is dependable and comparable to national benchmarks.
• Third-Party Review: We will establish a Community Advisory Board—composed of a Hamilton ISD teacher, a local business owner, and a parent—to independently review our evaluation data on a quarterly basis and provide unbiased feedback.
• Skills-Based Rubrics: Technical skill development will be measured against clear, pre-defined rubrics for each project. This removes subjectivity and allows us to assess specific competencies in coding, problem-solving, and project design.







BUDGET OVERVIEW
"Coding for All: Empowering Future Innovators" is a community-based initiative designed to provide critical STEM education to students aged 10-15. Our program addresses the growing need for digital literacy by offering hands-on, project-based learning in coding, web development, and artificial intelligence. To effectively serve students at all skill levels—from beginners to advanced learners—we are seeking $25,320 to establish a state-of-the-art, multi-tiered technology lab. This hybrid model provides accessible tools for all while offering a clear pathway to advanced, career-relevant skills. Our program is 40% more cost-effective than typical STEM programs and is built on a proven, research-backed curriculum.

2.0 Program Overview & Research Foundation

Our curriculum is designed to be engaging, age-appropriate, and aligned with industry standards, ensuring students are not just learning to code, but learning to think computationally.

Ages 10-12: Students begin with visual, block-based coding to grasp fundamental concepts. Projects include creating games with Scratch, programming interactive hardware with Micro:bit LEDs, and exploring basic robotics with LEGO SPIKE.

Ages 13-15: Students transition to text-based programming and more complex projects. They will learn Python, build websites using HTML/CSS, manage code with GitHub, and tackle advanced robotics challenges with LEGO Mindstorms.

Our approach is founded on platforms used in hundreds of thousands of classrooms globally, including Code.org, MIT Scratch, and LEGO Education, ensuring a high-quality educational experience.

3.0 The Hybrid Technology Model: Equipping All Learners


To address the diverse skill levels of our students, we have designed a "Hybrid Lab" model. This avoids a one-size-fits-all approach and ensures every student has the right tools for their learning journey.

Tier 1: General Classroom Set (15 Stations): Upgraded ASUS Chromebooks with 8GB of RAM form the backbone of our lab. They are perfect for web-based tools, foundational coding, and collaborative projects.

Tier 2: Advanced Workstation Lab (5 Stations): For our more advanced students, a set of powerful Windows laptops will be available. These machines can run professional-grade software, local servers, and complex development environments that are not possible on Chromebooks.

Tier 3: AI & Robotics Corner (10 Stations): To truly prepare students for the future, we will have a dedicated area with NVIDIA Jetson Nano kits. These stations will be used for a specialized track or club focused on hands-on artificial intelligence and machine learning projects.

4.0 Budget and Financial Transparency

The requested funding of $25,320 will cover all equipment, software, personnel, and facility costs for the 2025-2026 program year. We have prioritized cost-effectiveness while ensuring our students have access to high-quality, reliable technology.

4.1 Overall Program Budget (2025-2026)

Category Item Unit Cost Quantity Annual Cost
Equipment & Technology $11,340
General Use (Tier 1) Upgraded ASUS Chromebook (8GB RAM) $350 15 $5,250
Advanced Workstations (Tier 2) Microsoft Surface Laptop Go or similar $550 5 $2,750
AI/Robotics Kits (Tier 3) NVIDIA Jetson Nano Developer Kit $149 10 $1,490
Jetson Station Peripherals $155 10 $1,550
Software & Licenses $1,100
Code.org, Scratch, & GitHub Licenses - - $600
Advanced Software Fund $500 1 $500
Facility & Utilities Facility Rent (Annual) $200/mo 12 $2,400
Transportation Transit (Annual) $40/mo 12 $480
Personnel & Training Instructors & Training - - $10,000
GRAND TOTAL $25,320
4.2 Detailed Lab Inventory & Price Sheet

Item ID Category / Tier Item Description Unit Cost Qty Line Total
Tier 1: General Use Classroom Set $5,250
GEN-CB-01 Hardware ASUS Chromebook (Model CX1 or similar), 11.6", 8GB RAM, 64GB Storage $350 15 $5,250
Tier 2: Advanced Workstation Lab $2,750
ADV-WIN-01 Hardware Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 (or similar), 12.4" Display, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD $550 5 $2,750
Tier 3: AI & Robotics Corner $3,040
AI-JET-01 Hardware NVIDIA Jetson Nano 2GB Developer Kit $149 10 $1,490
AI-PERI-01 Hardware Peripheral Station Kit (22" Monitor, Keyboard/Mouse, Power Supply, 64GB SD Card) $155 10 $1,550
Core & Advanced Software Licenses $1,100
LIC-CDO-01 Software Code.org Annual Classroom License $300 1 $300
LIC-SCR-01 Software Scratch Pro Annual Classroom License $200 1 $200
LIC-GIT-01 Software GitHub Education Pro License $100 1 $100
LIC-ADV-01 Software Advanced Software Fund (Adobe CC, Unity Pro, etc. for Advanced Lab) $500 1 $500
TOTAL LAB INVENTORY VALUE $12,440
5.0 Success Metrics & Program Impact

We are committed to measuring the impact of our program on student learning and engagement. Success will be evaluated based on the following Year 1 metrics:

Project Completion: 100% of participating students will complete 15+ coding projects.

Curriculum Alignment: 100% of projects will be aligned with CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards.

Competition Participation: 75% of students in the advanced track will participate in a STEM/STREAM-based coding competition.

Equity & Access: We aim for a 90% reduction in identified technology access barriers for students from low-income households.


A sustainability plan is in place to diversify funding in Year 2 through local business sponsorships and small program fees for non-scholarship participants. This grant is crucial for the initial capital investment in the lab equipment required to launch the program successfully.

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