Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead partners with the Gargiulo Education Center to provide post-hurricane Irma enrichment programs for area students
NAPLES, Fl. (Sept. 25th, 2017) — In an effort to provide relief to working parents during recovery efforts from Hurricane Irma, Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead and the Gargiulo Education Center partnered for 3 days from September 20th through the 22nd to give students from both organizations an opportunity to jump start their learning. With Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead’s home base at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church unavailable due to a lack of power and water intrusion from Hurricane Irma, organizers reached out to the education community to find a place to host some single day mini-camps.
In a symbiotic turn for both organizations, the Gargiulo Education Center, whose mission it is to provide support and enrichment for children in migrant families in Naples, had an empty building due to a lack of grant funding and staffing for the unexpected extended hurricane school cancellations. Full 
S.T.E.A.M. Ahead, who had the staffing and curriculum ready and waiting, was able to provide a pop-up educational experience. More than 50 students affected by Hurricane Irma were able to get back to learning STEM, music, and art after being out of school for almost 2 weeks.
Recognizing an opportunity to help their local community in a time of need, Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead offered discounted tuition to their existing students and offered more than $2200 in free tuition for Gargiulo students coming from nearby migrant camps. All students were treated to 3 days of 3D printing, robotics, ukulele, electronics, art, and engaged learning.
“We are always looking for ways to reach underrepresented populations with our S.T.E.A.M. program,” said Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead co-founder Ryan Shore, “so this opportunity to join our two communities was especially important to us at a time when so many families are just trying to get back to normal.”
“We are hoping that this is the start to a long-lasting relationship between Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead and Gargiulo.” Shore added.
Many of the students attending the program through both organizations were still without power as of the first day of the program. All students and teachers in attendance lost power and sustained some sort of damage to their home or property.
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