About Us

Alabama STEM Education (ASE) is a 501(c) 3 organization dedicated to empowering the minds of underrepresented and underserved youth in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Since its inception in 2014, ASE has been providing innovative, engaging, and interactive out-of-school time activities for over 1,400 youth in Jefferson County. ASE acknowledges a persistent "opportunity gap" where STEM learning opportunities are more frequently available to youth attending high-performing schools in affluent and middle-class communities, while students from under-resourced schools in poorer areas often lack exposure to math and science-rich environments. ASE is committed to closing this gap for children in the Bessemer, Birmingham, and surrounding communities of Jefferson County. In 2015, Alabama STEM Education collaborated with the UAB Engineering department to facilitate a summer enrichment program at Bessemer City Middle School. This partnership has since extended to include Auburn University, Lawson State Community College, Miles College, and the University of Montevallo, all of which engage with our students to provide exceptional STEM training. Currently, ASE operates three year-round programs: STEM Summer Camp, "Raise the Bar," and T.A.P.E. (Tutoring And Practical Exposure), reaching between 300 to 500 students annually through these initiatives.

The spirit of partnership and networking at ASE fosters a cooperative community among parents, students, businesses, and other organizations, ensuring each program participant benefits from a supportive learning atmosphere. The core curriculum encompasses robotics, computer programming, and fundamental engineering disciplines. Students learn essential programming techniques on single-board platforms and engage in basic robotics tasks, employing various sensors to make decisions and control objects through electronic commands. Our students receive ongoing personal development and academic support from dedicated community volunteers who generously share their time and talents through one-on-one and small group tutoring and mentoring. The learning environment for our students is further enriched by numerous field trips, career exploration activities, speaker forums, and workshops. Given that the majority of the students in our program come from predominantly non-Caucasian low-income households, access to field trips and extracurricular activities is often limited. ASE emphasizes the importance of exposing our students to experiences beyond their comfort zones. In addition to the core STEM curriculum provided during the school year, we offer a low-cost STEM Summer Camp. Thanks to aggressive fundraising and tremendous support from our board, we have been able to provide this Summer Camp to over 500 low-income families for only $350 per month. It is our mission to continue creating opportunities for children in our community and work to dismantle the barriers they face in preparing for success in STEM, especially as the demand for STEM-related careers continues to grow.