Summer Engineering Experience for Kids Educates Students Through Hands on Projects

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–During the annual National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) convention, Alcoa Foundation announced a $50,000 contribution to the 2013 Summer Engineering Experience for Kids (SEEK) Academy, a program developed by NSBE in 2007. The SEEK Program is designed to be a fun and engaging educational experience to raise the interest of underrepresented minority students in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). It is led by engineering students and technical professionals dedicated to pursuing professional excellence and giving back to the community. This is the second year Alcoa Foundation is supporting the program.

The SEEK program, aimed at grades K–12, is an important step for students toward careers in engineering. Alcoa Foundation’s grant will fund stipends for 50 collegiate members of NSBE who will serve as “SEEK mentors” in five states this summer: California, Colorado, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Texas and Washington, DC. The goal is to educate and inspire 300 students.

SEEK offers a diverse, hands-on engineering design curriculum that continues to expand annually. This year, participants will have an opportunity to “go green” by designing and testing miniature cars during a Solar Car Activity. The SEEK students, in the 3rd to 8th grades this year, learn science and engineering concepts and engage in team competitions during the academy’s free three-week summer day camps. The elementary school and middle school students are guided and taught by the SEEK mentors. The mentors are students at the University of Michigan, North Carolina A&T State University, The Ohio State University, Purdue University, and the University of Tennessee.

“We need to prepare young people for jobs that are available now and in sectors that are growing, like Advanced Manufacturing,” said Paula Davis, President, Alcoa Foundation. “Together with NSBE, we promote STEM education among K-12 students and educate them about how they can apply their skills to launch exciting careers in manufacturing.”

“Now in the second year of our partnership, we are excited that Alcoa Foundation has taken an expanded role in supporting our NSBE collegiate members who participate in SEEK nationally,” said NSBE SEEK Director Franklin O. Moore. “With the additional support, NSBE can engage more student mentors over the summer at SEEK camps.”

For more information about the SEEK Academy, contact NSBE’s Programs Team by e-mail at seek@nsbe.org, or visit www.nsbe.org.

About Alcoa Foundation

Alcoa Foundation is one of the largest corporate foundations in the U.S., with assets of approximately US$460 million. Founded 60 years ago, Alcoa Foundation has invested more than US$570 million since 1952. In 2012, Alcoa Foundation contributed more than US$21 million to nonprofit organizations throughout the world, building innovative partnerships to improve the environment and educate tomorrow’s leaders for careers in manufacturing and engineering. The work of Alcoa Foundation is further enhanced by Alcoa’s thousands of employee volunteers who share their talents and time to make a difference in the communities where Alcoa operates. Through the Company’s signature Month of Service program, in 2012, a record 60 percent of Alcoa employees took part in more than 1,050 events across 24 countries, benefiting more than 450,000 people and 2,050 nonprofit organizations. For more information, visit www.alcoafoundation.com and follow @AlcoaFoundation on Twitter.

ABOUT NSBE

With nearly 30,000 members, the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) is one of the largest student-governed organizations in the country. A not-for-profit founded in 1975, NSBE now includes more than 310 collegiate, pre-collegiate and technical professional/Alumni chapters in the U.S. and abroad. NSBE’s mission is “to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community.”

Alcoa Foundation
Suzanne van de Raadt, Communications Manager, 646-404-4027
Suzanne.vanderaadt@alcoa.com