Thanks to the mini-grant, Dr. Christopher was able to expand her Kids Count Program, which inspires children from underrepresented backgrounds to excel in STEM, with a special focus on mathematics through fun activities and games. The program has now grown from serving one school to four, reaching students in 3rd through 5th grades.
Reflecting on her motivation for starting STEM Greenhouse, Dr. Christopher recalls, “I knew there was another engineer who could do my job, but I didn’t feel there was another engineer of color like myself who would go back into their community to invest in young people, so they can have the opportunity to select from a wide range of career choices. It’s important for our young people to be inspired by and continue the legacy of black historical innovators in math and science.”