It's even more consequential that the playing field is leveled, and that students and adults from all walks of life can equally experience STEM learning opportunities.
One Birmingham, Ala.-based nonprofit, Ed Farm, has taken on this mission and is working to ensure all people — regardless of their socioeconomic background — have the tools they need to fill and create the jobs of the future. The organization provides public schools and communities with a wide array of tools to promote STEM learning, including new learning spaces, specialized educator training and virtual resources at the university level, just to name a few.
Ed Farm is the culmination of community discussions centered on building digital equity through education and resultant partnerships between founder Anthony Oni and a range of organizations including the city, Mayor Randall Woodfin, Alabama Power, Lawson State Community College, Tech Birmingham, the Birmingham City School System and others.
Waymond Jackson, CEO of the nonprofit and Birmingham native, said he has been inspired by the city's historical significance and integral role it played in the 1960s human and civil rights movements, hearing depictions as a young child of perseverance, culture and impactful figures.
"Growing up in this particular city, you are surrounded by stories of leaders who dared to improve their communities in an effort to provide access to better opportunities through education and equal access for their families," Jackson shared with Government Technology. "Those principles remain with me and guide my work as a leader at Ed Farm."
Jackson's experience in public policy, education and workforce enhancement has helped to shape the strategic direction of Ed Farm and helped to ensure that students not only see themselves in the future but have the resources to change it.
"My previous work in local government and economic development provided me with valuable insights that better informed my decision-making in support of Ed Farm's mission and created in me a community outcomes-focused approach to our work at Ed Farm," Jackson said. "That approach is centered on our ability to provide access and service to the people we work with in the communities that we serve."
Ed Farm has several programs that acquaint students with STEM principles at a young age. Through its Student Fellows cohort, middle and high school students can participate in a yearlong challenge where they are presented with a real-world issue facing local communities and must research, analyze and implement structural change to resolve the problem with technology. Code Clubs, meanwhile, meet students wherever they are by partnering with schools and community-based organizations to provide weekly and biweekly coding workshops tailored toward the specific needs of each community.
Last year, the organization surprised elementary students at Chestnut Grove Elementary in Decatur, Ala., with a new STEM learning space offering hands-on training in augmented and virtual reality, coding, podcast creation and music production.
"The ability for students and teachers to create new apps and become skilled in virtual reality, machine learning and artificial intelligence through a challenge-based learning approach is fundamental, and as a result of remote learning capabilities due to COVID-19 over the past three years, school districts now have unprecedented access to new devices," Jackson commented.
The nonprofit has also worked to empower educators to teach STEM curriculum by equipping them with the necessary technology and expertise.
In February 2023, Ed Farm partnered with the Dougherty County School System in Albany, Ga., to create a 20-person cohort of educators for an immersive one-year training program, where participants could work toward Apple Inc. certifications.
And in June of last year, the group hosted its first Future of Learning Summit — a two-day instructive event featuring nationally renowned speakers, Apple learning specialists, technology partners and community organizations.
The Teacher Fellows program, meanwhile, provides a unique educational opportunity for those passionate about instilling STEM skills in students, allowing educators to collaborate and share their acquired knowledge with other teachers in their schools and other districts.
According to Jackson, the program saw a 90 percent increase in confidence in teaching students to code after completing the cohort in Georgia and an 80 percent growth in confidence of those students successfully learning creative skills.
And there is even more to come, Jackson told Government Technology, building on partnerships with Birmingham Public Schools, Atlanta Public Schools, Montgomery Public Schools and several other public school districts, as well as public charter schools.
Jackson believes the vitality of cities and states rests heavily on their ability to embrace and teach STEM at a high level, particularly since the tech industry is evolving quickly.
"To do this, it is vital that schools and civic leaders have access to organizations like Ed Farm that empower school leaders and residents through technology usage," Jackson said. "Cities and schools are hubs for creativity and innovation. Our goal is to bring to life the power of creativity through technology, especially for underserved populations."
"Government and public school systems are at the center of communities, and their services touch most residents in their footprint. Their ability to be on the front end of emerging technology helps better prepare their communities for success in today's global economy," Jackson added.
Throughout all of the programs and STEM resources Ed Farm offers, building a better, more equitable workforce from the ground level is their connective tissue and core principle. To do so, they must access and create complex, digital spaces like the metaverse to shape, teach, retain and diversify the future workforce.
"Our vision intentionally includes the word access," Jackson explained. "Often, our communities lack access to training, information and resources that create long-lasting economic mobility."
Jackson believes Ed Farm will bridge those gaps with future collaborations.
"We partner with school districts, cities and community-based organizations for in-school and out-of-school programs focused on digital skills and coding and would love to hear from those passionate about supporting a more equitable workforce through technical education and training," Jackson said.
To contact Ed Farm or learn more about the vital work the nonprofit is doing, visit https://edfarm.org/ or email hello@edfarm.org.
