STEM to Stern and Play Marin at Marin Rowing Association
Marin Rowing Association has partnered with USRowing affiliate STEM to Stern to work towards eliminating barriers to youth participation in rowing and STEM education. Many students from underserved communities face barriers including lack of transportation and swimming competency as well as cost and underrepresentation. STEM to Stern addresses these barriers through local and national partnerships to ensure that all students are able to participate on rowing teams, regardless of race, socioeconomic status, or address. STEM to Stern enables rowing clubs to be more inclusive, competitive, and accessible to everyone and uses rowing to unite students from different communities.
In addition to increasing access to rowing, STEM to Stern also provides participants with high-quality STEM education. STEM activities excite and engage students and develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork. Each curriculum is tailored to fit the needs of the students involved. Both STEM fields and rowing programs have historically excluded students from underserved communities. STEM to Stern provides access, breaks barriers, and increases equity. We’re excited to have this program at our club.
We are currently still trying to solidify several components of this program such as a long-term Swim Coordinator, STEM Instructor, and Travel Facilitator. To learn more about time commitments, training, qualifications for these volunteer opportunities, click below!
Marin Rowing Association has partnered with Play Marin to launch STEM to Stern in the summer of 2022 at our boathouse. Play Marin students, grades 6-8 will be picked up from school two days a week, and brought either to the boathouse for a STEM lesson, or swim lessons followed by snacks and a rowing practice coached by Coach Laurel Johnson. This program will run year-round with the same students quarterly, and our hope is that these students will go on to try out and be an asset to our competitive junior program once they enter high school.
This summer we will launch in partnership with Play Marin and Bridge the Gap Marin who will be providing the STEM and transportation components of the program.
The goal of STEM to Stern is to remove barriers and to bring students together. Through this program, Marin Rowing Association becomes a stronger, more inclusive club that serves and represents our entire community. For more information about STEM to Stern, please see the website: https://stemtosternrowing.org
