Updated September 24, 2020.

The Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering (TAME) is actively following the progress of the global pandemic and its footprint in Texas. 

As we prepare for the school year ahead, we use these guiding principles to inform our plans:

• We are finding ways to advance our mission while prioritizing the safety and wellness of everyone in the TAME family.
• We are leveraging the opportunities created by this unique school year to re-imagine and expand existing programs and build agile, innovative new resources for STEM education.
• We are strategically delivering more resources into the TAME Ecosystem to support our stakeholders during a year that will ask more of them. 
• We are addressing the impact of the digital divide that virtual learning spaces have exacerbated by seeking creative partnerships and collaborations wherever possible.
• We are preserving the long-term financial health of the organization.

As the state and school systems across beautiful Texas prepare to resume learning, TAME programs will be deployed as follows:

• The TAME Science Squad™ Comic Books are available to inspire young STEM leaders in your community. We can ship them to you without any delay. We are excited to announce the release of the third issue in the spring of 2021.
• The TAME Trailblazer will be grounded in the fall of 2020. We are working closely with partners and stakeholders to pilot new ways to deliver on the program’s objective, a hands-on, mobile STEM experience. We are actively monitoring the situation throughout the state and will be ready to cut short the hiatus as soon as circumstances improve before the end of the year.
• TAME Clubs will continue and be responsive to the educators’/sponsors’ environment. We are here for you! The curricula will be updated to support virtual and socially-distant in-person learning. We are leveraging funding partnerships to reduce the work required from TAME Club Sponsors. Update: TAME has launched a new initiative to offer financial and material support to TAME Clubs serving Title I schools. Read more: TAME Announces STEM Club Toolkits & Funding
• To prioritize safety and ensure we have the necessary time to plan the most rewarding and engaging 2021 STEM Competition season, next year, the 2021 Divisional STEM Competition will be virtual for all chapters. We are working closely with all TAME Chapters to create a consistent and valuable experience for all TAME students. We are hopeful that we can host the 2021 State Competition in person and will be ready to pivot to a virtual competition if needed. We will decide on the medium for the event in January.
• The TAME Scholarship and TAME Mentorship programs will continue to support TAME alumni in their transition to higher education institutions.

Our vision is for every K-12 student to have the educational experiences necessary to pursue a career in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. We appreciate the flexibility, support, creativity, and partnership from the TAME Ecosystem to help us deliver on this vision.

We will keep everyone informed of changes through the COVID-19 section on our website. Please reach out to us via programs@tame.org or leave a voice message at 512-471-6100.

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