And we’re rolling!
What started as a good idea around a coffee table with friends has become an inspiring reality.
The Ready Room Project is more than just a website, blog posts, and pictures. We are rolling. We are doing it.
We sent our first group of active duty kids to the Naval Academy STEM Camp this summer, and we are over the moon about it!
The Naval Academy STEM Camp is a week long immersion experience, big shout out to Yetanda Massey and her team. Thank you for making our first year a memorable one.
All of the time spent grinding over details, legal paperwork, what if’s, and criticism were worth it. We could have off-ramped so many times. We could have said, “this is just too much.” We didn’t - and it is sooooo worth it!
We Asked, You Answered
Our generous donors blew the doors off of Project Zero, our start up fundraiser. We have been able to transform those funds into real kids getting to actual out-of-reach experiences.
With your generous support, we’re executing the mission of The Ready Room Project - little by little - and it feels incredible.
She Rocks
I’d like to introduce Caitlin, a rising 9th grader from Hanford, CA. Her dad is an active duty service member attached to NAS Lemoore, CA.
She is whip smart. Driven. Incredibly awesome. And she has lived all over the globe.
Barriers
Caitlin’s introduction to STEM began in middle school with a bridge building project. Tasked with building the strongest structure possible with toothpicks, she was intrigued, fascinated, and hooked.
However, her school program lacked the support, supplies, and focus to make it a sustainable activity. Her to-be high school’s STEM program consists of a welding shop.
This is not uncommon for military families.
The educational landscape they navigate is characterized by inconsistent access to game-changing academic programming at best and evaporating or non-existent opportunities at worst.
Caitlin’s mom shared that when they moved back to the States after an overseas tour (in the middle of the school year), Caitlin’s new school didn’t consider her previous advanced courses or academic strengths. They stuck her where they had room. No placement test, no opportunity, just here you go…good luck.
At the end of her second semester, Caitlin was named the Accelerated Math Student of the Year!
This kind of stuff happens when military families move. These circumstances create barriers to military kids reaching their full potential.
When active duty students experience this kind of friction over and over, it can create unnecessary educational gaps.
The Ready Room Project is working to close those gaps for military kids.
Caitlin on the Naval Academy campus and ready to STEM. 2800 miles traveled to get there, we are so happy to get you there!
Make it Happen
When Caitlin and her parents saw our scholarship opportunity they said, ”Why wouldn’t we do this? There is no reason not to go!”
The cost of attending the camp coupled with travel from a remote location on the west coast was prohibitive, and the travel and tuition scholarship we provided eliminated the financial barrier.
We had a chance to connect with Caitlin and her mom after her week at STEM Camp. It was so fun to see her face light up when talking about her roommates and squad members - her newest friends.
As she told us about some of her favorite experiments - the physics of spinning wings on a helicopter, biological virus tracing, connecting to a live satellite - it was very evident that she was into it.
And honestly, we were too. She had us on the edge of our seats.
Caitlin + friends laughing and learning in the lab. “It was a lot more fun than I thought it would be.”
More than STEM
We might have been able to guess the academic and social benefits of attending this program. But the way Caitlin described the nuanced, intangible benefits just melted our hearts.
She shared things like:
“It was really cool because everyone wanted to be there.”
“I got to see Washington D.C. - that was on my bucket list!”
“I really liked my roommates. They were really cool.”
“Just seeing how close you get to people in a week makes me excited for college.”
Her feedback and experience reassured us that these scholarships help fulfill our mission at The Ready Room Project.
Access to programs like this empowers military kids to reach their academic potential, think big, and broaden the scope of what they believe is possible.
Seeing our Nation’s most iconic landmarks, learning new things together, and goofing off with your newest friends - the essence of a ready room!
Eureka - We Love our Mission!
That is what we are about: getting these active duty kids out there.
Getting them on an airplane across the country and back.
Meeting new friends.
Dreaming of their future college days.
Dreaming of wearing a lab coat and goggles, solving world problems.
Giving them wide open spaces to grow.
We believe they can do it!
Caitlin is one active duty military kid with dreams of being one the great scientists of her generation. That alone is a challenge. Being in a military family doesn’t have to make it any tougher.
With your help, we are removing barriers. We are investing in Caitlin and others like her so their dreams can come true, too.
Caitlin, you and our other Ready Room campers inspire us. We are so honored and humbled to have you AND your family as part of The Ready Room Project.
You guys are special and we are committed to growing. We want as many active duty military kids as possible out there dreaming and achieving right alongside you.
This is just the start. We couldn’t be more energized. We need you.
We’re gearing up for a big fundraising effort in September and would love your participation.
Join our roster to get the scoop on how you can get involved.
Spread the word and share this post to your ready rooms. Discuss over coffee, laugh over beers, and let’s go!