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Through its ongoing partnership with DoD STEM, TGR Foundation recently opened registration to STEM Studio, virtual educator professional learning sessions offered at no cost in the summer of 2022.  

 There will be two sessions available for first-time STEM Studio participants taking place 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. PDT, daily June 21 – 23 and June 28 – 30. These sessions will cover practices to build an Inquiry Mindset in their teaching and students’ approach to learning.  

Through personal outreach, an internship with the American Heart Association and personal health adversities in my family, I found an interest in cardiology. As I learned how crucial the heart, lungs and their connecting vessels are to human health, I developed a desire to help those in need of heart and lung operations.

During my junior year, I had the absolute honor of being accepted into QuestBridge’s College Prep Scholars and the Earl Woods Scholar Program. I saw an immense connection in the way the resources from both programs were distinct, yet both were critical in constructing me as a strong holistic candidate. The Earl Woods Scholar Program provided an unmatched individualistic and personalized support system wherein I had mentors and advisors that I could turn to at any time. It was set to help me achieve any vehicle for success, in my case both the QuestBridge and UC processes. Anybody who’s seen the work of the EWSP can vouch for the fact that all staff involved are the most dedicated and hardworking people.

As educators face challenges of distance learning and look for strategies to keep students engaged in virtual, in-person and hybrid class formats, TGR Foundation’s four-part series of STEM Studio trainings provided a solution with a domestic launch in Anaheim, CA. In close proximity, to the foundation’s flagship TGR Learning Lab, many Anaheim Union High School District educators had already been connected to our programs.  

 In the summer of 2021, the cohort model was launched with a group of teachers from Dale, Sycamore, Orangewood and Walker junior high schools participating in Virtual STEM Studio One, Inquiry Mindset. From there we have continued working with cohorts from Dale that have moved forward in our Inquiry Pathway to a second Inquiry Workshop, Making Thinking Visible.   

DoD STEM, leader of the Defense STEM Education Consortium (DSEC), has recently chosen TGR Foundation to manage their DoD STEM Ambassador Program for the 2021-2022 academic year.

In September of 2021, TGR Foundation welcomed 16 STEM Ambassadors from across the United States. These highly qualified educators were selected from a wide applicant pool and come equipped with a variety and wealth of knowledge in STEM-related fields across the k-12 spectrum. 

At 16, Abigail Yun has already discovered a passion for technology and begun pursuing opportunities to gain experience and explore potential career paths.

In partnership with Bitwise Industries, TGR Foundation offered its students access to an eight-week pre-apprenticeship training and introduction to web development to teach the fundamentals of HTML and CSS. Upon completion of the training and high school graduation, participants would have an opportunity to join its paid apprenticeship.

After learning about the training, Abigail signed up immediately. We recently connected with her to learn more about her experience and career outlook.

As an educator, I have always felt powerful opportunities present themselves all the time, you just have to have your eyes open to see when they are coming and to understand that they are in fact opportunities. This was definitely the case when members of the TGR Foundation programs team learned about an opportunity to partner with the D.K. Kim Foundation to grow an education initiative based in Colombia. At this moment, I was not very familiar with Colombia and was eager to learn more and see if it might be a fit for our professional learning work.

As we met with Olga Lucia Parga Nates and Renee Cowan, of Kim Integrated Health Management Initiative and the D.K. Kim Foundation, respectively, it became clear they had a similar mission as TGR Foundation – to support communities in closing the opportunity gap. This first meeting was full of great ideas and lofty goals, but it wasn’t until I met some of the Colombian teachers, we could work with that it is was clear we needed to work with them!

As we reflect on the many highlights of 2021 we can all acknowledge the change and revivals we experienced together. From advancements in medical approaches to the Coronavirus to the reopening of schools and businesses, this year gave us reasons to reflect where we’ve come from, celebrate how we moved forward and continue working toward a brighter future for everyone.