Nizel Pradhan
Earlier this month, the Water and Power Community Credit Union was awarded an FHLBank San Francisco AHEAD Program Grant for the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) Middle School Girls in STEM Program. After putting in the hard work to apply for the program, the LACI program is now one of the highly sought-after award winners. FHLBank awarded 55 projects this year totaling $1.5 million in grants that will boost economic development activity and promote financial stability in communities throughout Arizona, California, and Nevada.
Earlier this month, the Water and Power Community Credit Union was awarded an FHLBank San Francisco AHEAD Program Grant for the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) Middle School Girls in STEM Program. After putting in the hard work to apply for the program, the LACI program is now one of the highly sought-after award winners. FHLBank awarded 55 projects this year totaling $1.5 million in grants that will boost economic development activity and promote financial stability in communities throughout Arizona, California, and Nevada.
The funds will be set in place for LACI’s 2023 Cohort (4) Middle School Girls in STEM Program. Launched in 2020, the program aims to light a spark for middle school girls around the relevance of math and science in school, and to build a pipeline of future female innovators in the sustainability space. LACI gives student groups from underrepresented and disadvantaged communities (especially in STEM) the opportunity to learn more about the climate crisis, sustainability challenges and ways they can make an impact, now and in the future. Many of these students have never had an opportunity to participate in a program outside of their school before.
WPCCU sponsored the 2021 Cohort (2) where 40 talented young innovators from three LAUSD partner schools graduated from the program. They included: Edwin Markham Middle School in Watts, Vox Collegiate and Hollenbeck Middle School in Los Angeles. Vox Collegiate students (assigned to WPCCU) were mentored through their hands-on prototype development to design, build a prototype of an electric/solar powered school bus to replace the diesel buses used by LAUSD, and create a “Demo Day” presentation. The winner Hollenbeck Middle School shared their prototypes with Mayor Garcetti and the London Mayor Sadiq Khan during his visit to LACI at the La Kretz Innovation Campus.
“The volunteer time put in to mentor the STEM students was very rewarding. It was no surprise that the STEM middle-school girls embraced their challenge that addressed real-world problems, community engagement, and ultimately, one solution for global climate change.” said WPCCU’s Marketing Communications Manager, Delaine Valencia. “Over a three-month course the students and I formed a bond, and their confidence was boosted with what they had learned.”
Thanks to LACI’s Community Empowerment Programs, the Middle School Girls in STEM focuses on advancing female founders with distinctive support and resources. Women are underrepresented in clean technology due to several barriers, including women role models. The perception that it is a male-dominated field, and a lack of encouragement from educational institutions to pursue cleantech careers adds to this barrier. WPCCU proudly sponsors and supports other LACI fellowship programs like workforce development initiatives like the Women in Cleantech program and Green Jobs Fellowship.
About Water and Power Community Credit Union
Water and Power Community Credit Union (WPCCU), headquartered in Los Angeles, is committed to the safety and well-being of the Los Angeles Community, its members and staff. WPCCU was formed in 1936 by a group of employees of the Department of Water and Power in downtown Los Angeles. All people who live, work or go to school in Los Angeles and San Bernardino County can open an account. Currently, assets are over $950 million. The credit union serves over 42,000 members. If needed, members can call 24/7 at Water and Power Community Credit Union (WPCCU), headquartered in Los Angeles, is committed to the safety and well-being of the Los Angeles Community, its members and staff. WPCCU was formed in 1936 by a group of employees of the Department of Water and Power in downtown Los Angeles. All people who live, work or go to school in Los Angeles and San Bernardino County can open an account. Currently, assets are over $950 million. The credit union serves over 42,000 members. If needed, members can call 24/7 800-300-9728, or visit a branch for in-person, financial assistance. Branch hours can be found at http://wpccu.org.
About LACI
The Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) is creating an inclusive green economy by unlocking innovation through scaling cleantech startups, transforming markets through catalytic partnerships like the Transportation Electrification Partnership, and enhancing communities through green workforce training and pilots. Founded as an economic development initiative by the City of Los Angeles and its Department of Water & Power (LADWP) in 2011, LACI is recognized as one of the top 10 innovative business incubators in the world by UBI. To date, LACI has supported 315 startup companies that have secured more than $695 million in funding, generated more than $308 million in revenue, and helped to create an estimated 2,480 jobs with a long-term projected economic impact of more than $555 million.
