The STEM Alliance: Advancing STEM Equity for All

The STEM Alliance is a powerful force in reshaping STEM education, tirelessly working to provide equitable access for youth from underserved communities. By focusing on afterschool, weekend, and summer enrichment, the organization creates dynamic spaces where students can explore science, technology, engineering, and math with confidence and curiosity. Committed to unlocking universal talent, The STEM Alliance ensures that opportunity reaches those who need it most.

Through deep partnerships with schools, community organizations, and local leaders, The STEM Alliance delivers hands-on STEM experiences in welcoming environments like libraries and community centers. Starting as early as preschool and featuring diverse role models, the organization challenges cultural barriers, fostering a strong STEM identity among girls and underrepresented youth. These efforts empower students to see themselves as capable innovators, ready to shape the future.

The STEM Alliance envisions a world where STEM fields are as diverse as the communities they serve, cultivating inclusive learning spaces that inspire lifelong passion and career pathways. We hope that our modest small grant award will help to further the mission of delivering STEM programs to those who need it most. We put some questions to The STEM Alliance Chief Visionary Officer Margaret Käufer to learn more about this work.

Kars4Kids: The fact that The STEM Alliance was created to address inequities in STEM tells us that you’re working with youth who are getting a raw deal from the education system. Can we hear a bit about the young people you serve? What’s your demographic?

Margaret Käufer: At The STEM Alliance, we believe that talent is universal—but opportunity is not. The young people we serve aren’t lacking in potential; they’re often just lacking access to consistent, high-quality STEM learning much of which can be created or augmented outside of school hours. Our focus is on equity of opportunity in the afterschool hours, on weekends, and during the summer. Those times are crucial windows where enrichment happens and learning gaps can either widen or be closed.

We work with students from communities that have historically been excluded from STEM pathways, not because the school system failed them entirely, but because the system isn’t designed to provide equitable enrichment beyond the classroom. That’s where we come in. Our programs reach youth from low-income families, underrepresented communities, multilingual households—kids who are hungry to explore, build, and discover when given the chance. And we make sure they get that chance.

Kars4Kids: The STEM Alliance website cites an impressive 66% of 4th grade girls who say they like science and math, yet only 18% of all college engineering majors are female. To what do you attribute the disparity?

Margaret Käufer: We believe that the disparity between girls’ early interest in STEM and their underrepresentation in college engineering majors begins in the early years. We’re not starting young enough. A child’s sense of identity is well formed during their preschool years. To get kids interested in STEM, regardless of their gender, you need to start well before formal schooling. In fact, schools have an unintentional tendency to reinforce cultural norms around gender and who is or is not capable at doing STEM work. By starting younger, and building engaging STEM programming in the preschool years, we get ahead of those norms, increase interest in STEM, build confidence, and expand the definition of who can succeed in these disciplines. When those pieces are established, all children will persist despite outside influences in the elementary or middle school years. Along the way, we need to embed strong, diverse role models.

We also need to create enough informal, welcoming STEM spaces outside traditional classrooms where girls feel safe to explore and lead in STEM exploration. Essentially, we need to bring the learning to them in spaces like after-school programs, community centers and even houses of faith. If a child has a strong sense of belonging somewhere and they do STEM learning, their sense of positive identity in STEM will be reinforced. Cultural norms in school settings often subtly define what girls “should” be interested in, limiting their confidence to pursue STEM. Hyperlocal partnerships with trusted community leaders help us meet girls where they are, in places where they already feel seen. Ultimately, to close the gap, we must rewrite the narrative of what girls can do—starting earlier, reaching deeper, and expanding representation in every space they occupy.

Kars4Kids: Girls can sign up their Girl Scout troops for a chance to earn badges. What can you tell us about that?

Margaret Käufer: The STEM Alliance is all about partnerships. We are experts at STEM education and provide quality programming. Our partners have deep and trusted relationships with the children that they serve. By aligning our programming with the needs of our partners, we amplify impact for the children involved, and for those partners as well. For example, we have partnered with various Girl Scout troops to bring our STEM programming to their badge fulfillment program, it’s a win for everyone: quality STEM enrichment delivered at a hyper local level that also helps girls earn their badges.

Kars4Kids: How about an overview of your Girls Do series? These are workshops, right?

Margaret Käufer: Our Girls Do is a series of classes and programs designed to inspire the next generation of female-identifying STEM leaders. These programs cover all STEM disciplines—Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math—and offer hands-on, project-based learning. We emphasize using STEM skills to solve real-world problems and help others, while also showcasing the stories of women leading in various STEM fields to improve lives. For many of these programs, we partner with other groups focused on girls such as the Girl Scouts.

The U.S. faces a significant shortage of STEM-skilled workers (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Although women make up 48% of the overall workforce, they represent only 27% of STEM workers. Black workers make up 11% of the workforce but only 9% of STEM workers, and Hispanic workers account for 17% of the workforce but just 8% of STEM workers. For these reasons, Girls Do seeks to address systemic barriers and increase the representation of women in STEM.

Diverse representation in STEM is crucial for advancing innovation. STEM progress thrives when a range of perspectives contributes to the work. Women participate in STEM careers at lower rates than men at every stage: they enter STEM degree programs less often, complete them at lower rates, and remain in STEM careers at lower rates. To shift this, we need to start earlier with programs like Girls Do to bring diverse skills and perspectives into the field.

These programs are also vital for combating the higher poverty rates women face. By offering high-quality STEM enrichment to girls, we can provide them with long-term benefits: 1) A path to higher earning potential, 2) A decrease in female poverty rates, and 3) A stronger, more inclusive STEM workforce.

Kars4Kids: Talk to us about your Mosaic Innovation Camp. How did you land on the name? What are some of the activities? Do a lot of kids sign up for camp?

Margaret Käufer: We’re excited to be launching Mosaic Innovation Camp this summer with our school partner, the Mamaroneck School District! The name “Mosaic” was chosen to represent the idea of interdisciplinary, hands-on learning. Much like a mosaic art piece is made up of various unique elements coming together to form something cohesive, our camp combines diverse fields and skills to create a complete and enriching STEM learning experience for students. The goal is to give them the opportunity to see how different areas of knowledge—science, technology, engineering, and math—come together in real-world applications.

The camp offers a wide variety of engaging activities, including hands-on projects, challenges, and collaboration across different STEM disciplines. The key element of the program is the career connections. Students will have the chance to take weekly field trips that show how STEM skills are used in careers, gaining valuable insight into the pathways and opportunities available to them.

While the camp is new, we expect increased interest year over year as we focus on preparing students for future success, both academically and professionally. The Mosaic Innovation Camp is designed to spark curiosity, develop critical thinking, and foster teamwork, all while giving students the tools they need to explore and succeed in STEM fields.

You can learn more about the program and see the full list of activities on our Mosaic Innovation Camp page.

Kars4Kids: The STEM Alliance has partnered with Morgan Stanley|Tech Philanthropy on a special free program for families who can’t afford to pay out for extracurricular activities like STEM workshops. Can you describe the program for us?

Margaret Käufer: For the second summer in a row, we’re proud to partner with Morgan Stanley | Tech Philanthropy to bring students from our Co-Op Summer Enrichment program to their global offices in Times Square for a day of hands-on tech learning with their partner – ImagiCharm. The imagiCharms platform (learn more at imagilabs.com) uses wearable tech to teach kids how to code through colorful, engaging designs. It’s an ideal entry point into tech that blends creativity with real-world skills. The day will be filled with fun and creativity introducing the kids to both the basics of computer science and diverse Morgan Stanley role models who use technology in their work. Seeing how technology is corrected to future careers makes this experience especially meaningful. At the heart of our collaboration is a shared belief in advancing economic mobility through career development, especially for underrepresented groups like girls and women in tech. We’re thrilled to offer programs like this that spark curiosity, build confidence, and show kids real world application of STEM skills.

Kars4Kids: What can you tell us about your Summer Co-Op program?

Margaret Käufer: Our Summer Co-Op Enrichment program is one of the most joyful and impactful expressions of our mission at The STEM Alliance. With a 59-year history, Co-Op is a true “cooperative”—a partnership between schools, our local municipalities, and philanthropic support—working together to ensure that summer enrichment is accessible to all.

Each summer, the program serves over 250 children, with families paying on a sliding scale based on financial need. It blends summer learning with summer fun, incorporating beloved camp traditions like Color Wars, earning badges, recreational games, swim instruction and team challenges, alongside high-quality STEM activities, academic support, and social-emotional learning. It’s designed to spark curiosity, prevent summer learning loss, and give children a joyful, enriching experience that prepares them for success in the school year ahead.

Co-Op also includes a Leadership-in-Training program for 7th and 8th graders, and creates summer youth employment for 55 high school and college students, offering them meaningful work experience and professional development.

At the heart of it all is our guiding mantra: equal access to quality programs because summer matters. We believe every child deserves the chance to thrive in the summer months through learning combined with laughter, friendship, and the freedom to explore. Co-Op is where joy and growth go hand in hand.

Kars4Kids: What is “STEM-tastic?

Margaret Käufer: STEM-tastic is Westchester County’s only free, public festival of hands-on STEM learning. Designed to make STEM learning irresistible for all ages, the event is hosted by The STEM Alliance and brings together over 1,000 attendees and 45+ activity leaders from across the region—including nonprofits, student groups, and businesses—for a hands-on celebration of science, technology, engineering, and math. Held at the Westchester Children’s Museum, this dynamic event transforms STEM into an accessible, festival-style experience that sparks curiosity and showcases the diversity of STEM careers. With activities ranging from DNA extraction to drone piloting and chess strategy, STEM-tastic inspires repeat participation and supports lifelong learning in an inclusive, engaging atmosphere.

Kars4Kids: Talk to us about Tinkering Nights for Parents & Kids. What might participants encounter? Why is it important to have a STEM event that includes parents?

Margaret Käufer: Tinkering Nights for Parents & Kids is a unique hands-on STEM experience that invites families to explore science, technology, engineering, and math through open-ended challenges and creative problem-solving. Participants might encounter activities like building circuits with batteries and copper tape, experimenting with magnets, or designing structures with everyday materials and even 3D filament. What makes this event special is its focus on shared learning—parents are encouraged to tinker with their children, modeling curiosity, navigating uncertainty, and embracing the trial-and-error nature of STEM. This kind of co-learning helps shift the family mindset from passive art projects to active invention and exploration, showing that STEM is for everyone, not just the classroom. By placing tools—literally and figuratively—into kids’ hands, Tinkering Nights build confidence, creativity, and connection in STEM learning.

Kars4Kids: What’s next for The STEM Alliance?

Margaret Käufer: What’s next for The STEM Alliance? We’re charging full speed ahead with bold, equity-driven innovations that bring STEM learning to life and open doors to opportunity! First up: we’re hitting the road with our brand-new STEM Mobile, a state-funded initiative that will deliver hands-on STEM experiences directly to communities across our region—because curiosity shouldn’t be limited by geography. Next, we’re thrilled to partner with CLOTH and Children’s Village to launch a stunning 2,000+ square foot STEM lab inside The Eliza, a groundbreaking deep-affordable housing development in the Inwood neighborhood of NYC. This space will be a hub for invention, learning, and community connection. And finally, we’re launching WATT – Women Advancing Through Technology—a transformative digital inclusion program designed to help women gain next-stage tech skills and spark real career growth. At The STEM Alliance, we believe the future is bright—and it’s powered by access, innovation, and the unstoppable potential of every learner.