STEM Frenzy: Empowering youth to build a better world

by Ahimsa Porter Sumchai MD

“Don’t let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It’s your place in the world; it’s your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live.” – American engineer, physician and NASA astronaut Mae C. Jemison  

For the fourth year in a row the Hunters Point Biomonitoring Foundation was on hand for the 2024 Annual STEM Frenzy Festival held during “March Madness” in the San Francisco Warriors Chase Stadium on Saturday, March 23, 2024.

Designed to provide access to STEM education in underserved communities, STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. The mission of stemfrenzy.org is to inspire the next generation of diverse STEM professionals by exposing children of color to all the wonders of STEM by providing access to programs, resources and mentors to enrich young minds.

“We have served 2,000 diverse children and their families in San Francisco since our founding in 2021 and look forward to continuing our reach and mission,” explained Delia Fitzpatrick, founder and CEO of Stemfrenzy.org. 

Despite early morning showers, an estimated 4,000 families attended the event. HP Biomonitoring was represented by STEM Hall of Famer Dr. Ahimsa Porter Sumchai, who captured photos of the wonderful day.

STEM education inspires curiosity in children and cultivates critical thinking and healthy skepticism. Beyond mediocre curriculum and rote learning, STEM broadens horizons and helps young people use logic and fact based rationales in decision making that is empowering in an age of mass misinformation.

STEM can be fun! The STEM Frenzy dance off winners on the Chase Center outdoor platform can be viewed on youtube at https://youtube.com/shorts/V5KiXMDQdwU?feature=shared/

SF Bay View Health and Environmental Science Editor Ahimsa Porter Sumchai, MD, PD, founder and principal investigator for the Hunters Point Community Biomonitoring Program, founding chair of the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard Restoration Advisory Board’s Radiological Subcommittee and contributor to the 2005 Draft Historical Radiological Assessment, can be reached at [email protected]. Dr. Sumchai is medical director of Golden State MD Health & Wellness, a UCSF and Stanford trained author and researcher, and a member of the UCSF Medical Alumni Association Board of Directors.

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