L.H. STEM

 

The Liberty Hill STEM Initiative was named for the community which it serves. Liberty Hill, the oldest community in North Charleston has a rich history dating back to 1864 when 112 acres of land was purchased by Paul and Harriett Trescott who were free persons of color from Charleston, SC. The Trescotts sold the land in 1871 to Ishmael Grant, Aaron Middleton, and William and Plenty Lecque. These men and their families named this land Liberty Hill and are considered the founders of Liberty Hill. Liberty Hill stands today as a living testament to the courage, perseverance, and faithfulness of its residents over the past 150 years.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Transformation: Liberty Hill

 

The Charity Foundation proposed a workforce development program to ultimately transform Liberty Hill into the community it once was, one with a strong foundation of multi-generational, economically stable individuals and families. The greatest yield of this transformation will be the creation of a well-trained workforce that is fully prepared to embrace the economic opportunities provided by North Charleston area businesses. The Transformation: Liberty Hill initiative has four programs: STEM (Science, Technology, Education and Math) Education, Affordable Housing, Workforce Development, and Financial Literacy. A key strategy in the initiative is to offer curriculum and experiential learning through STEM in public schools serving the Liberty Hill community. Those schools are North Charleston Elementary, Morningside Middle, and North Charleston High.

 

This vision led to the work of the Liberty STEM Initiative. The mission of the Liberty Hill STEM Initiative is to deliver high quality STEM programs in the Liberty Hill neighborhood schools that will provide all students with a rigorous and relevant academic and technical education in order to prepare them for the high-skill, high-demand, and high-wage, STEM occupations of the 21st century global economy. Through the work of the initiative, all students have the opportunity to participate in STEMtastic Saturdays with Boeing (aerospace) and Roper Saint Francis (Health Science), robotics, after school STEM enrichment, and summer camps. Throughout the school year, students are exposed to career exploration activities, Lunch and Learns with industry professionals, Career Fairs, and work-based learning experiences (Job Shadows, internships, & apprenticeships). The Liberty Hill STEM Initiative is a partnership with Boeing South Carolina, Charleston County School District, Charity Foundation, and Coastal Community Foundation.