Community Offshore Wind and Brooklyn Public Library Boost STEM Education in NYC
Community Offshore Wind and the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) have teamed up to distribute 3,200 STEM-focused books to families residing in the Red Hook Houses and Farragut Houses, two public housing complexes in northwest Brooklyn. The initiative kicked off on May 4 at the Farragut Houses community center, where BPL’s Bookmobile and Community Offshore Wind’s outreach van began handing out the book bundles.
The donated books cover subjects such as renewable energy and engineering and include biographies of notable scientists, aiming to inspire interest in STEM education and careers in clean energy among young readers.
Families can continue to collect book bundles from the Bookmobile at the corner of Lorraine and Columbia Streets in Red Hook on May 7 and May 21 between 11 AM and 4 PM.
Doug Perkins, President and Project Director of Community Offshore Wind, emphasized the organization’s commitment to providing New York families with the educational resources needed for future clean energy jobs. He noted that the partnership with BPL aims to ignite a passion for STEM subjects in Brooklyn's youth, helping them build home libraries and fostering a lifelong love of learning.
Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO of Brooklyn Public Library, highlighted the link between home libraries and academic success. She expressed enthusiasm for the partnership with Community Offshore Wind, which aims to empower children in Brooklyn to explore STEM topics and consider future career paths in science.
Research consistently shows that access to books at home significantly enhances educational outcomes for children. This program seeks to address the resource gap in disadvantaged communities by ensuring that all students have equitable access to educational books, supporting their learning and academic success.
"Proficiency in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics can take you so far in life," said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. "These skills can open up amazing career opportunities, and they can serve you immensely in your day-to-day life. We extend our sincere appreciation to Community Offshore Wind and the Brooklyn Public Library for putting valuable STEM resources in the hands of young NYCHA residents and their families at Red Hook and Farragut Houses."
"To build a sustainable future that works for everybody, we need to educate our kids so they can take the reins of that future," said State Senator Andrew Gounardes. "Having books at home is a proven way to ensure children have the resources they need to learn and thrive, and these STEM books will open them up to a world of possibilities when it comes to science, renewable energy and engineering. I'm grateful to Community Offshore Wind and Brooklyn Public Library for putting the children of the Red Hook and Farragut Houses at the center of their vision for a green future."
“The Brooklyn Public Library system has been instrumental in fostering an eagerness to learn in our borough’s youth. This is why I was excited to learn about Community Offshore Wind’s plan to partner with the Brooklyn Public Library bus mobile to donate 3,200 books to families from Red Hook and Farragut Houses,” said New York State Assemblywoman Marcela Mitaynes. “As we continue to build a green, sustainable future for our children, books are a fun and accessible way to introduce STEM to our younger residents. I look forward to new initiatives and events that will continue to uplift our communities.”
Since its inception in 2022, Community Offshore Wind has been an active and committed partner to New York communities. During Engineers Week in both 2023 and 2024, the project sponsored field trips for over 140 New York students to local museums and sent team members to Harbor Middle School and New York Urban Assembly Harbor High School to promote early interest in STEM education and careers. Additionally, they have collaborated with the YMCA to provide swim lessons for children from underserved communities, donated 900 winter coats to families in need, and supplied 30,000 fresh seafood meals to food banks across the state.
The Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) is the sixth largest library system in the United States and a key provider of free early literacy programs in New York City. Offering a variety of programs such as multilingual story times, Brainy Babies, and Ready Set Kindergarten, BPL supports the development of literacy, language, and social skills in young children. These programs also equip parents and caregivers with techniques to foster learning at home. In 2023 alone, BPL hosted nearly 5,000 free public programs for children ages 0 to 12, emphasizing literacy, reading, and the enjoyment of books.
The donated books cover subjects such as renewable energy and engineering and include biographies of notable scientists, aiming to inspire interest in STEM education and careers in clean energy among young readers.
Families can continue to collect book bundles from the Bookmobile at the corner of Lorraine and Columbia Streets in Red Hook on May 7 and May 21 between 11 AM and 4 PM.
Doug Perkins, President and Project Director of Community Offshore Wind, emphasized the organization’s commitment to providing New York families with the educational resources needed for future clean energy jobs. He noted that the partnership with BPL aims to ignite a passion for STEM subjects in Brooklyn's youth, helping them build home libraries and fostering a lifelong love of learning.
Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO of Brooklyn Public Library, highlighted the link between home libraries and academic success. She expressed enthusiasm for the partnership with Community Offshore Wind, which aims to empower children in Brooklyn to explore STEM topics and consider future career paths in science.
Research consistently shows that access to books at home significantly enhances educational outcomes for children. This program seeks to address the resource gap in disadvantaged communities by ensuring that all students have equitable access to educational books, supporting their learning and academic success.
"Proficiency in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics can take you so far in life," said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. "These skills can open up amazing career opportunities, and they can serve you immensely in your day-to-day life. We extend our sincere appreciation to Community Offshore Wind and the Brooklyn Public Library for putting valuable STEM resources in the hands of young NYCHA residents and their families at Red Hook and Farragut Houses."
"To build a sustainable future that works for everybody, we need to educate our kids so they can take the reins of that future," said State Senator Andrew Gounardes. "Having books at home is a proven way to ensure children have the resources they need to learn and thrive, and these STEM books will open them up to a world of possibilities when it comes to science, renewable energy and engineering. I'm grateful to Community Offshore Wind and Brooklyn Public Library for putting the children of the Red Hook and Farragut Houses at the center of their vision for a green future."
“The Brooklyn Public Library system has been instrumental in fostering an eagerness to learn in our borough’s youth. This is why I was excited to learn about Community Offshore Wind’s plan to partner with the Brooklyn Public Library bus mobile to donate 3,200 books to families from Red Hook and Farragut Houses,” said New York State Assemblywoman Marcela Mitaynes. “As we continue to build a green, sustainable future for our children, books are a fun and accessible way to introduce STEM to our younger residents. I look forward to new initiatives and events that will continue to uplift our communities.”
Since its inception in 2022, Community Offshore Wind has been an active and committed partner to New York communities. During Engineers Week in both 2023 and 2024, the project sponsored field trips for over 140 New York students to local museums and sent team members to Harbor Middle School and New York Urban Assembly Harbor High School to promote early interest in STEM education and careers. Additionally, they have collaborated with the YMCA to provide swim lessons for children from underserved communities, donated 900 winter coats to families in need, and supplied 30,000 fresh seafood meals to food banks across the state.
The Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) is the sixth largest library system in the United States and a key provider of free early literacy programs in New York City. Offering a variety of programs such as multilingual story times, Brainy Babies, and Ready Set Kindergarten, BPL supports the development of literacy, language, and social skills in young children. These programs also equip parents and caregivers with techniques to foster learning at home. In 2023 alone, BPL hosted nearly 5,000 free public programs for children ages 0 to 12, emphasizing literacy, reading, and the enjoyment of books.
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