STEM YOUTH CODING SCHOOL

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&view=pt&search=all&permthid=thread-a:r-6098526309880661243&simpl=msg-a:r6483830519390037056&simpl=msg-f:1841547935949890853&simpl=msg-a:r8772937887505258542
HamiltonCounty, 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/
RaspberryPi Foundation. (2025, September 4). Impact. Raspberry Pi Foundation. https://www.raspberrypi.org/research-impact/impact