UPTECH - Preparation for STEM education grades 8-9
Appleseeds NGO
Field: Formal Education
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Requested sum: $24,730
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30% of total budget
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Location: Kiryat Gat
// About the Organization
Appleseeds has been operating since year 2000 as a social-technological leading organization, reducing social gaps through technology, focusing on populations from Israel's social and geographic periphery.
// Project Description
The UPTECH program offers annual training of 65 hours, including 3D design and printing, SCRATCH, intro to electronics and MicroPython programing, as well as exposure to AI tools and their integration into learning tasks. The learning is based on team projects, peak days and visiting high-tech companies. The program includes a teacher training component in schools, aimed at building sustainable local capacity for teaching the material.
// Project Goals
the goals of the program are: Reducing gaps in STEM subjects among students in the periphery through meaningful exposure and fostering technological self-efficacy and confidence. Encouraging students to choose STEM fields, imparting knowledge and tools in 3D, programming, AI, developing, 21st-century skills and training teachers so that they have the knowledge to operate independently.
// Target Population
8th-9th grade students from Kiryat Gat with STEM potential but limited access to advanced tech education and industry exposure. Eight classes, 160 participants annually. Indirect impact: teacher training for sustainable continuity, parental awareness.
// Outcomes
Short-term outcomes: students will acquire knowledge and tools in programming, 3D and AI, and develop 21st-century skills. Expected outcomes by mid-term: students will choose technological enhancement. Long-term outcomes: students will improve technological self-efficacy.
// Project Timeline
July-Oct 2026: approaching schools, recruiting and training instructors, raising more funds, developing and adjusting the program content. Oct 2026-June 2027: program is operating, 2 hours per week, including peak days and visits.
// Budget Sustainability
The implementation includes a sustainability component of 'train the trainer' for teachers, with the goal of fully transferring the training to the school staff at the end of the program.
If the Partnership will not fund the full requested sum, the organization will seek assistance from other sources such as Kiryat Gat Municipality (with whom Appleseeds have a good partnership), donors, additional philanthropic bodies, and corporations.
// Project establishment status
This year, Appleseeds UPTECH project is operating a pilot with Intel and the Kiryat-Gat Municipality.