Rehoboth Alliance Launches Youth Black Inventors
They got to learn about engineers, military alphabets and more in an environment fused with Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM). An estimated 30 youth attended the launch of Youth Black Inventors on July 27, 2019 at Meadow Creek Community Hall in Timberlea. Sponsored by the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, the mentorship program is organized by Rehoboth Alliance, an “organization dedicated to helping youth, women, children and their families achieve their goals while respecting their individuality and recognizing their diverse and sometimes challenging needs.”
While open to everyone in the community, Youth Black Inventors has a goal of helping low-income youth ages 13-18 gain access to STEAM opportunities.
“Fort McMurray is big on science and technology, but the opportunities are not available to everyone either due to income, or family structure outside of the classroom. So, we talked to some parents who wanted this programming, and we were fortunate to have two local engineers volunteer,” explained Regina Oppon, Executive Director, Rehoboth Alliance.
The program also focuses on financial literacy for older youth.
“What happens when an 18-year-old gets their first credit card? What can they expect? The mentoring aspect of the program focuses on these important topics. We have spoken to banks to come in for financial advice. It’s not just about the credit card, but about budgeting. We’ll have other life topics as well,” she continued.
Oppon says the “Black Inventors,” part of the program stems from Black History Month. The idea is to tell participants about Black inventors, who have contributed to society.
The next session is slated for Saturday, August 24 at the First United Church located at 10003 Gordon Avenue. For more information, visit: http://www.rehobothalliance.org.
