This year, more than ever, students and teachers require our support. The Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering (TAME) is proud to launch a new initiative to offer financial and material support to TAME Clubs serving Title I campuses and community groups, thanks to generous support from Statewide Sponsor Boeing and Regional Sponsors PPG, Raytheon Intelligence & Space, and Howmet Aerospace.

The new TAME Club Toolkits will include funding for supplies, healthy snacks, and one large equipment purchase, such as a microscope or a robotics set, to use in the classroom throughout the year. The toolkits will also include instructions for 10 TAME-created Engineering Design Challenges to use as a club activity each month during the school year. Additionally, Club Sponsors will receive workbooks and t-shirts, supplies, dozens of ideas for additional STEM activities, and more.

Last year PPG invested seed funding in the development of the initiative. This year, Regional Sponsors PPG, Raytheon Intelligence & Space, and Howmet Aerospace will help us deliver targeted support, and our Statewide Sponsor Boeing will allow us to scale and deliver the program across Texas.

Club Toolkits will be available statewide on a first come, first served basis. To qualify for one of the available kits, registered TAME Clubs must meet one of the following criteria:

• TAME Club must be registered at a Title I School
• Community TAME Clubs must register at least 50% students who qualify for free/reduced-price meals at school (check eligibility here)

TAME anticipates mailing the toolkits by early November after Registration closes. No application will be needed as eligibility will be determined through Club and Student Registration online before the October 29th deadline. TAME will reach out to qualified Clubs to make arrangements. 

Texas teachers have a tremendous task in front of them during the pandemic. TAME hopes that Club Toolkits will ease that load by providing teachers with materials, curricula, and equipment to foster a more engaging STEM learning environment to help counteract the learning loss acquired during the pandemic.

Many of the students we reach aren’t often encouraged to think of themselves as scientists. Many of them will be the first in their families to go to college, and often, they’re the first in their family to get through high school. Strengthening the education-to-employment pipeline requires a long-term investment in these students. 

We are grateful to Boeing, PPG, Raytheon Intelligence & Space, and Howmet Aerospace, and for investing in TAME students now during an unprecedented time of great need, to educate and empower the Texas STEM workforce of the future.