Boys & Girls Clubs of West Central Missouri members will have new and increased opportunities to take part in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programs thanks to a grant from the Union Pacific Foundation. The generous $5,000 award will be used to fund robotics, coding and DIY STEM programs at the Club’s Sedalia locations.

“Union Pacific’s mission to build safe, prosperous, and vibrant communities parallels what Boys & Girls Clubs strive to accomplish,” said BGC Executive Director Gary Beckman. “We are very pleased to work alongside Union Pacific to strengthen our community through our members.”

The Union Pacific Foundation prioritizes funding for direct services and efforts that build the capacity of organizations focused on safety, community spaces and workforce development, including putting youth on the right track by building foundational STEM skills needed in a variety of careers. BGC currently offers a variety of STEM-related programs including robotics and Coding for the Future, which give even the youngest kindergarten members opportunities to learn new STEM skills.

“Union Pacific’s investment will drive STEM programming at Club Sites to develop our future innovators,” Beckman added.