RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA — Last week, Rep. Pete Aguilar presented the City of Rancho Cucamonga with $1,000,000 to create STEM-related educational programs for K-12 students. This funding will support the Rancho Cucamonga Second Story and Beyond Project to develop STEM-related museum exhibits and educational programming for K-12 students. The funding also will be used to conduct outreach to underserved, underrepresented, and minority communities to bring diversity to STEM fields, including in space exploration and research.

“Investing in public education is an investment in our children’s future,” said Rep. Aguilar. “It is our responsibility to provide students with engaging educational programs and the resources they need to succeed from a young age. I look forward to seeing this funding inspire a new generation of scientists, entrepreneurs and leaders here in the Inland Empire.”

“We are grateful for the Community Project Funding support of the City of Rancho Cucamonga’s Second Story and Beyond^® project,” said Wess Garcia, Deputy Library Director. “This project, located at the Paul A. Biane Library, will create opportunities for families to explore various types of literacies tied to NASA, and other space related subjects, through interactive museum exhibits. Grounded in literacy with a focus on helping children meet developmental milestones through STEM related activities, the Second Story supports children of all ages in an informal educational environment while facilitating intergenerational sharing of knowledge and hands-on learning. The Second Story and Beyond^® will be a regional draw for San Bernardino County and the greater Inland Empire region.”

Photos from Rep. Aguilar’s Event at the Rancho Cucamonga Library:

Rep. Aguilar serves as the Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus and as a member of the House Committee on Appropriations.

###