PRESS RELEASE
Gerald A. Moore Sr, (703) 659-6019. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Loudoun Nonprofit to Launch New Program To Help More Boys of Color Explore STEM Pathways
Supported by a grant from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, Mission Fulfilled 2030 creates the Youth Tech Entrepreneurs Program, designed to help more Black young men pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and manufacturing fields.
(Loudoun, Virginia, December 2022): Today Mission Fulfilled 2030, a nonprofit whose vision is to provide equity and access to digital high-tech education for BIPOC young men, announced the launch of its Youth Tech Entrepreneurs Program this December. - The first of its kind in Loudoun County, the educational program is designed to increase the number of Black young men studying in the STEM fields of study, and ultimately participating in the STEM workforce.
“Today, Black males make up less than 5% of the high tech and STEM workforce, a number that has remained stagnant over the last 10 years, despite rapid growth across the STEM industries. We also know that jobs in STEM fields are some of the best pay jobs in our economy, creating new opportunities for building wealth. We must rethink what we’re doing to encourage and support young Black men, so they have the opportunity to participate in -- and to shape -- our digital economy,” said Gerald A. Moore Sr. founder of Mission Fulfilled 2030. “We have to create a new model where Black boys can harness their unique innate abilities outside of the traditional school system. Our program not only focuses on developing the technical skills they need, but will also provide students with male mentors who look like them, and can inspire their greatness.”
In Virginia, the technology industry is growing rapidly -- the state is emerging as the data capital of the U.S. and consistently ranks as one of the top states hiring for tech roles. In Northern Virginia, some of the largest STEM employers, like Amazon, Boeing, and Microsoft, are establishing significant footprints in the region and looking to fill tens of thousands of jobs in the coming years.
Mission Fulfilled 2030 is dedicated to ensuring that Black young men across Loudoun County will be prepared and able to participate in the state’s growing tech workforce.
The inaugural program will launch in January 2023, providing opportunities for middle school boys in grades 6-8 of Loudoun Country Public School (LCPS). The program will be held in Ashburn. Students will participate in a six-week, program that offers a culturally relevant STEM curriculum where they gain exposure to a variety of digital high-tech employment opportunities and pathways. Students also benefit from mentorship from Black men working in the STEM fields.
To get this effort underway, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation was made a founding grant of $23,000. The Cooke Foundation is dedicated to advancing the education of exceptionally promising students who have financial need. Since 2000, the Foundation has awarded $250 million in scholarships to nearly 3,200 students from 8th grade through graduate school, along with comprehensive counseling and other support services. The Cooke Foundation also supports youth-serving nonprofit organizations that address educational access and achievement in Loudoun County, Virginia — where the Foundation is headquartered.
Parents who are interested can register students here: https://bit.ly/loudoun-yte