May is Mental Health Awareness Month — and for the families, students, and educators in our community, it’s an invitation to talk about something that doesn’t always make it into school newsletters or STEM career panels: how our young people are actually doing. Because behind every test score, robotics competition, and college application essay is […]

Not every STEM opportunity costs money. Not every learning experience requires an application, a waitlist, or a commute across town. Some of the best ones are already in your neighborhood. National Library Week — celebrated April 19–25 this year under the theme “Find Your Joy” — is a perfect moment to spotlight something Harlem STEM

Honoring Black Excellence in STEM As Black History Month comes to a close, it’s worth pausing not only to celebrate achievement, but to consider what those achievements required. The scientists, engineers, physicians, mathematicians, and innovators we uplift each February did not succeed because opportunity was abundant. Many succeeded in spite of limited access, unequal resources,

As the Winter Olympics kick off, the world turns its attention to speed, strength, precision, and breathtaking moments that come down to fractions of a second. We cheer for medals, marvel at world records, and replay dramatic finishes. But behind every gold-medal performance is something else quietly at work: STEM. At Harlem STEM Up, we

Computer Science for All: Why Equity in Tech Education Can’t Wait Across every industry, the defining skills of the future are being shaped right now by computer science and artificial intelligence. These aren’t niche fields anymore — they’re the backbone of modern problem-solving, creativity, and economic opportunity. Yet far too many students, especially Black and

Two hundred years ago, a young woman sat by a fire on a stormy night and imagined a scientist who would bring life to his own creation. That moment of imagination gave the world Frankenstein — and introduced a whole new way of thinking about science, ethics, and human possibility. The author was Mary Shelley,

Mark Your Calendar: Harlem STEM Up’s 2025 STEM Day Returns to the Harlem YMCA! We’re counting down to one of our favorite days of the year—and this year, it’s going to be bigger than ever. Harlem STEM Up is thrilled to announce that our 2025 Annual STEM Event will take place on Saturday, November 8,

STEM learning doesn’t always come from textbooks, labs, or expensive programs. Sometimes, it starts with a simple question—honest, curious, and full of wonder. For families who may not have access to formal STEM opportunities, your child’s greatest tool is already built in—their ability to ask, observe, and imagine. Here are six powerful ways families can

Family game night isn’t just fun—it’s a hidden STEM lab right in your living room. Rolling dice, solving puzzles, or battling it out in strategy games gives kids (and us adults) hands-on practice with logic, problem-solving, math, and more. Here’s how game night builds essential science, technology, engineering, and math skills—without feeling like homework. 1.