Purpose

Jan. 27, 2020 6:44 am

Project HOME opens a STEAM lab at Honickman Learning Center

“Quality education for every child should not be a luxury, it’s a basic need,” says Project HOME's cofounder and executive director Sister Mary Scullion.

Project HOME's STEAM Lab opened on Jan. 22.

(Photo from Project HOME's Twitter stream)

This post was written by Marybeth Gerdelmann,  Technical.ly's spring editorial intern. It was originally published at Technical.ly Philly.
Fairmount-based social services nonprofit Project HOME opened the doors of a science, technology, engineering, media arts and math lab at its Honickman Learning Center and Comcast Technology Lab (HLCCTL) on January 22.

At the STEAM Lab near 24th and Diamond streets, students will be able to build circuits, learn to code, work with robotics, practice digital arts and more. The lab is available for use from Monday to Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. and is open to students enrolled in the learning center’s after-school and college access programs. Its curriculum follows a project-based learning model and can be completed with or without computers.

Sister Mary Scullion at the STEAM Lab opening. (Photo from Project HOME’s Twitter stream)

“Quality education for every child should not be a luxury, it’s a basic need,” said Sister Mary Scullion, cofounder and executive director of Project HOME, in a press statement. “This lab represents an exciting new learning environment where our students will have opportunities, previously out of reach, to develop critical thinking skills, and cultivate a persistent drive to creatively solve problems in the world around them.”

Students as young as kindergarten can use the space. High schoolers will be offered programs such as advanced robotics, software engineering, and building and construction.

The 30-year-old Project HOME has an anti-homelessness mission that extends to ensuring that poverty does not prevent Philly youth from receiving an education. HLCCTL, the 38,000-square-foot hub of the nonprofit’s education initiative, opened in 2004.

The launch of the STEAM Lab is not the first time Project HOME has started a STEAM-focused initiative: It also launched a robotics program in 2017 for teens in partnership with FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a nonprofit agency that aims to inspire young people to be science and technology innovators, according to a spokesperson.

From our Partners

In 2018, Project HOME launched a second robotics team for fourth- through eighth-grade students through which students design, build and program a robot using Lego Mindstorms and compete against other teams in regional and local competitions.

-30-

From our Partners

Advancing Solutions to Philadelphia’s Issues

Public Safety by the Numbers: Education

Public Safety by the Numbers

SPONSORED

Generocity Philly

Meet Kim Andrews, new executive director for The Fund for Women and Girls

Philadelphia, PA

Pennsylvania Prison Society

Education and Advocacy Director

Apply Now
Radnor, PA

The Grace S. and W. Linton Nelson Foundation

Communications and Outreach Manager

Apply Now
Philadelphia,PA

DiverseForce

Director of Communications

Apply Now

Desperately Seeking Housing

Uncovering the Reasons Behind Philly’s 18% Unsheltered Homeless Population

Philadelphia’s Housing Crisis

SPONSORED

Generocity Philly

Be the leader to bring a 26-year mission into the future in Chester County

8033 Germantown Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19118

harp-weaver LLC

Administrative & Grants Associate

Apply Now
Hamilton, NJ

Grounds For Sculpture

Manager of Wellness Programs

Apply Now
Central Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Prison Society

Prison Monitoring Manager

Apply Now
   
       
       

Subscribe to Generocity

       
* indicates required