Meet Youth Advisory Board Member, Lucia. She's tackling social isolation and mental health issues in New York.

How I’m leading change: As Co-Founder and Chief Program Officer of BridGEN, I lead a youth-driven initiative tackling two interwoven issues in my community: social isolation among elders and mental health challenges in digitally saturated youth. Through weekly intergenerational workshops blending digital literacy, art, music, and storytelling at local senior centers, we create screen-free spaces where empathy thrives. Elders rediscover joy and purpose through mentorship, while teens gain resilience from lived wisdom. In a fragmented world, BridGEN is built on a simple truth: connection is the cure to loneliness. I’ve seen shy teens sing with elders whose eyes light up and watched tech tutorials transform into trust. These small, sacred moments taught me that empathy is scalable - we build more than relationships, but a compassionate, inclusive, and sustainable future.

Application Open: NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Awards

Applications are now open for the The National Center for Women in Technology (NCWIT) Aspirations in Computing Awards. Awards are available for exemplary high school students, college students, and educators. Applications are open until November 18, 2025. Learn more and apply.

STEM Next’s Community in Nature Prize Challenge

Afterschool programs are encouraged to join STEM Next’s Community in Nature Prize Challenge. The challenge helps youth lead hands-on projects that improve the environment and build STEM skills. Programs across the country can win up to $3,500 by guiding youth to identify a local issue in nature, create an action plan, and take action for positive change. Learn more.

Girls Who Code

Start a free Girls Who Code Club and help students build confidence, problem-solving skills, and a sense of belonging through coding. When you start a Club, you’ll receive free access to the curriculum for grades 3–12, plus training and resources to support facilitators every step of the way. Complete the Clubs Application at girlswhocode.com/clubsapply and affiliate with our National Girls Collaborative Project Community Partnership to unlock exclusive benefits and swag. Bonus Opportunity: Start a new Club by National STEM Day on November 8th for a chance to win a snack box filled with treats to enjoy with your members.

EngineerGirl & EngineerTeen Writing Contest

Check out the 2026 EngineerGirl & EngineerTeen Writing Contest! Students in grades 3-12 are asked to use both writing and art to express how engineers create a better world. Deadline is February 1, 2026.

Afterschool Alliance Report

The Improving Communities Through Youth Civic Engagement in Afterschool Settings report explores how afterschool programs are opportune partners in sparking youth civic engagement, the growing intersection between STEM and civics in helping young people drive change, and recommendations for authentically cultivating youth leadership and civic learning in afterschool and beyond. Accompanying the report is a practitioner toolkit, full of resources, program spotlights, proven models and strategies, curricula, and professional development around incorporating civic engagement in the afterschool setting. 

Discovery Education's Career Connect

NGCP is excited to be partnering with Discovery Education on Career Connect! Career Connect is a new platform that connects educators to STEM industry volunteers. Volunteers can opt to receive direct requests from teachers or browse open teacher requests. During these 45-minute virtual classroom visits, you can share your unique career journey, your areas of interest when you were a student, and the work you do in STEM and beyond. Interested in volunteering? Sign up here. (Select NGCP in the Organization dropdown.)