Through partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Lower Bergen County, TechSprouts has been volunteering in the 21st CCLC-based, STEAM-themed after-school and summer programs at the Thomas Jefferson MS in Lodi since 2024. Serving over 260 6–8th graders, TechSprouts mentors and teaches the fundamentals of STEAM through robust project-based experiments and interactive lessons, focusing on teamwork, communication, and critical problem-solving skills. Reports from 2024–2025 school year indicated strong enrollment: 190/289 students attended 15 days or more; 134/289 students attended 30 days or more, exceeding the program’s 126 enrollment target. An analysis of participants’ grades also indicated upward trends throughout the year, either improving/maintaining grades in both math and ELA.

Since 2024, TechSprouts has supported the Comet After-school Academic Partnership (CAAP), an enrichment program of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lower Bergen County, designed to support students at Hackensack MS (grades 5–8) specifically during the crucial after-school hours. As volunteers to help address learning gaps that resulted after the Covid-19 pandemic, and grounded within the principles of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers initiative (a federally funded program supported by the New Jersey Department of Education), TechSprouts was selected to provide weekly hands-on STEM lessons that introduce an awareness for STEM-related hobbies and careers. More details about TechSprouts’ contribution to the success of the 21st CCLC initiative through CAAP is published here.

With support from our local United Nations delegate and Nigerian chapter, TechSprouts is actively contributing to promoting education as a vital instrument for social and economic change in Nigeria. Our ongoing Backpack Fundraiser and Build-a-Classroom initiatives aim to create awareness and mobilize effort to make education more accessible and a driving force for improving the children and orphans’ futures. In Phase 1, TechSprouts successfully collected, fundraised, and shipped boxes of learning materials, books, and backpacks to a primary school in Abeokuta. Now in Phase 2, TechSprouts is actively fundraising to make a financial contribution to build a roof over the school building. In addition, TechSprouts will ship the next cargo of goods to the Heritage Home Orphanage located in Gwarinpa Estate, Abuja that provides shelter, care, education, and adoption support for orphaned, abused, and vulnerable children.

TechSprouts participates in the annual event to raise awareness for our initiatives, recruit volunteers, fundraise for Project Nigeria, and recruit students to enroll in our free STEM class. It is a great opportunity to catch up with the mayor and members of the community!

TechSprouts’ Valentine’s Day baked goods fundraiser was a huge success! We spent time talking to members of our community about our efforts to raise funds to ship learning materials and backpacks to Nigeria. Thank you to the many who supported us!

TechSprouts serves at Hana Mission’s soup kitchen as a way to give back to our community. Each warm meal is carefully prepared and served to offer nourishment, hope, and comfort for up to 80 neighbors that are homeless and experiencing hardship.

We are growing! With more clubs actively participating with TechSprouts, our members are building a broader sense of community through the shared passion for STEM. Together, we volunteer, teach, fundraise, and raise public awareness for STEM education. Join us in our efforts, and be a sprouter!