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TAO approves $450,000 amendment to Tulsa Community Foundation grant to expand after-school STEM and autonomy programs
Summary
The authority approved a $450,000 amendment to a Tulsa Community Foundation grant to expand after-school STEM and autonomy programs run by the OP Project: $400,000 will fund the 'Pathways to Autonomy' program ($200,000 per school year for two years) and $25,000 per year will support smaller starter programs at other schools.
Trustees on Aug. 28 approved an amendment to a Tulsa Community Foundation grant, allocating a total of $450,000 to expand after-school STEM and autonomy programming administered through the OP Project.
Michelle (staff) and Lauren Sivek (head of the OP Project) described the plan to use the funds over two school years. According to Lauren, $400,000 (split as $200,000 per school year) will support a “Pathways to Autonomy” K–12 robotics and autonomy pathway across multiple feeder patterns in Tulsa, while the remaining $50,000 ($25,000 per year) will provide smaller starter grants for schools not yet ready for the full pathways program.
Lauren said the OP Project had received 220 teacher applications for fall and planned to fund 163 clubs across 44 schools; 32 of those clubs will be STEM-focused. The program will pay teachers $25 an hour to lead after-school clubs (Tulsa Enrich program), track participation through a city-wide data system and target STEM pathways that connect K–12 students to robotics and autonomy career pathways.
Trustees asked about program geography and the ability to integrate AI content; staff said the OP Project is piloting AI-focused after-school clubs and is developing data tools to map program coverage. Trustees approved the grant amendment by roll call.
