Young STEAMers: Free Science + Art for Bay Area Kids Who Need It Most

Since 2022, Young STEAMers brings free hands-on STEAM education to underserved Bay Area children. Here's what they need — and why zip code should never limit a child's potential.

Young STEAMers believes that a child's ZIP code should never determine whether they get to experience the joy of science. Founded by Dr. Orna Kretchmer — a scientist and artist from the Bay Area — around a uniquely designed program called "The Art in Science," Young STEAMers brings free, hands-on STEAM enrichment to children from underprivileged, underserved, and at-risk families across the Bay Area. Each lesson blends real science content with creative art-making: kids learn about biology, chemistry, or physics through activities that produce beautiful, tangible artworks. And they do it with instructors who are also role models — high school students and college students from their own communities, showing them what's possible. Givelink, a Transparent Giving Platform that connects donors to verified U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofits with photo proof of delivery, partners with Young STEAMers to connect donors who want to give specific supplies to the children who need them most. Here is the full picture.

Key Takeaways

• Young STEAMers serves children ages 4–22 from underserved and at-risk families — free of charge.
• The Art in Science curriculum blends scientific content with art-making, creating both understanding and beauty.
• High school and college student instructors serve as role models, creating a full-circle community education model.
• STEAM supplies are the program — without them, sessions cannot run.
• Givelink donors give 60% more times per year than traditional platform donors (Givelink data, 2026).

What Young STEAMers does — and why the combination matters

The Art in Science program was designed to solve a specific problem: children from underserved communities often disengage from science because it feels abstract, irrelevant, and intimidating. Young STEAMers makes it concrete, beautiful, and immediate.

A session on plant biology becomes a botanical illustration. A session on chemistry becomes a color-mixing art project. A session on physics becomes a kinetic sculpture. The child leaves with something they made — something they can hold, show, and keep — that is also evidence that science belongs to them.

The instructor model compounds this. When the person teaching science is a 19-year-old from the same neighborhood, the message is not just about biology. It is about who gets to be a scientist.

"Real needs. Real proof. Real connection."

What Young STEAMers needs from donors right now

Program	Items Needed	Who They Reach
Science Lessons	Experiment kits, chemicals (safe/household), petri dishes	Children in STEAM sessions
Art Integration	Watercolors, acrylic paints, brushes, canvas paper	All program participants
Curriculum Materials	Printed worksheets, folders, notebooks	Students and instructors
Instructor Supplies	Markers, flip chart paper, demonstration materials	High school and college instructors
General	Colored pencils, scissors, glue, construction paper	All ages, all sessions

Why this matters in 2026

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that STEAM careers will grow 2× faster than non-STEAM occupations through 2030. The children who will fill those jobs are already in classrooms — but only those with access to hands-on enrichment, engaged role models, and the belief that science is for them. Young STEAMers builds that access and that belief, simultaneously, with every session.

Givelink in action with Young STEAMers

A donor in Fremont gave science experiment supplies and art materials through Givelink to Young STEAMers. Two weeks later, a photo arrived: the supplies organized in bins for the next program session, labeled by curriculum topic. She gave again the following month. Browse Young STEAMers' wishlist on Givelink.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Young STEAMers need most from donors?

Science experiment materials (safe household chemicals, experiment kits, petri dishes), art integration supplies (watercolors, paints, brushes, canvas paper), and general classroom materials (colored pencils, construction paper, scissors, glue).

Is Young STEAMers a legitimate nonprofit?

Yes. Young STEAMers is a verified 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN: 92-0611373) founded in 2022 and serving Bay Area youth ages 4-22. Their Givelink profile displays Charity Navigator evaluation data.

Give a child a reason to love science

Browse Young STEAMers' wishlist on Givelink and give supplies that arrive at a session this month.

Stay Human.

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Panos Kokmotos is Co-Founder and COO of Givelink.