Over seven months in 2023-2024, twenty Youth STEM Ambassadors crafted their unique STEM stories and shared them with the Virginia General Assembly in order to advocate for increased access to out-of-school time STEM learning opportunities. Beginning in July of 2023, the ambassadors began by gaining a general overview of various advocacy pathways. They learned about the legislative process in Virginia and how to navigate that to share their personal journeys. The program followed a cycle of the Virginia General Assembly season from election campaigns in the summer, through the November elections and into the start of the Virginia General Assembly session. Ambassadors were coached on how to contextualize their personal stories with the greater need for increased access for and support of Afterschool STEM programs.
Do you know a young person who would be interested in being a Youth STEM Ambassador? Stay tuned to VPOST for announcements on the opening on the 2024-2025 cohort by receiving our newsletter. Questions on the Youth STEM Ambassador program can be directed to Christine Jones Monaccio.
