Thursday, Feb. 1, 2018, in Houston. Samsung donated tech to the Spring Branch Boys and Girls Club in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. (Photo by Jon Shapley)

It’s the same type of passion and curiosity that helped Albert Einstein develop the theory of relativity and what continues to ignite a similar spark in the young creative minds of children today.

We celebrated Children’s Day on June 10, but we should remember every day how important it is to continue to invest in our children’s natural curiosity — in and out of the classroom. Education is one of the strongest unifying forces we have access to, and more specifically, the future in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) education is promising. STEM not only prepares kids for the technological innovations they have come to experience and will continue to experience in their life, but it also teaches valuable problem-solving skills and gives them an edge they will need to flourish in career fields that may not even exist today.

Thursday, Feb. 1, 2018, in Houston. ( Jon Shapley )

It is our job as parents, educators and technology creators to encourage children to test the waters of STEM, whether they simply want exposure to science and technology, or they have a curiosity as to how to design and launch a rocket.

Many science and engineering ideas come to life through the devices we hold in our hands, but cutting-edge technologies aren’t easily available to every young person. Samsung is working with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) to help connect them with real world, hands-on applications, and empower the next generation of innovators.

Samsung’s support has aided the expansion of the DIY STEM program by providing training to Club professionals, supplying all the materials needed to execute the activities, and giving youth access to cutting-edge technologies. Together, Samsung and BGCA are empowering the next generation of innovators.

Thursday, Feb. 1, 2018, in Houston. ( Jon Shapley )

One of the ways we invest in STEM education at Samsung is through the BGCA DIY STEM Program. This program, geared towards youth in grades 4 to 9, provides exposure to science, technology, engineering and math with simple, fun, hands-on activities.

  • 87 percent of the students participating in 2017 BGCA DIY STEM programs between spring and summer, grades K-12 reported positive gains in STEM interest at the end of the program.
  • 89 percent of BGCA girls reported higher gains in STEM interest at the end of the program.
  • 86 percent of BGCA boys reported higher gains in STEM interest at the end of the program.

As STEM-related fields across the country become more popular, it is Samsung’s hope to give the next game-changing innovator or engineer the tools they need and access to opportunities they deserve through STEM education. What we do today impacts tomorrow — we should invest our time and efforts in our children now.

This article first appeared in the Houston Business Journal.