Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s (RRHA) CEO, Steven Nesmith continues to fulfill his promise to academically enrich the lives of youth currently living in RRHA properties, with the opening of a third STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) lab in Southside’s Hillside Court Community. The Authority will cut the ribbon on the new lab, Thursday February 22, 2024, at 4:30 p.m. at the location of the new Lab at 1500 Harwood Street in the Hillside Court Community Center. The newest STEM lab will be added to two predecessors –one in the Calhoun Family Investment Center in Gilpin Court and the other, which opened a year ago, in the Whitcomb Court Community.
“Offering STEM education to families in all of the RRHA communities is essential,” says CEO Nesmith. “It will not only offer skills that young people can implement in their daily lives but provide them with the foundation to pursue lucrative careers that are emerging from this growing industry – our students will not be left behind,” he added.
The STEM lab in Hillside has received donations of equipment and services from various partners including Verizon, STEP (Strategies to Elevate People), Code VA, STEM-EIC (Education and Innovation Center), and Hansbury. RRHA Resident Services personnel along with educators from CodeVA, a longstanding partner and nonprofit organization that brings equitable computer science education to all of Virginia’s students, will provide STEM workshops and classes.
Classes in the Hillside STEM Lab will take place Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between 2p – 6p and in addition to STEM Lab exercises and projects like computer coding and E-gaming, other activities and special classes will be offered to include resume writing, basic computer skills for adults and seniors, budgeting for youth and adults, and photography.
For more information about this and other RRHA programs and services, visit our website at RRHA.com, or any one of our social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), or Linkedin pages. For general RRHA customer service inquiries, please contact RRHA’s Customer Information Center at (804) 780-4200 or toll free at 1-833-750-7742 (RRHA).
Hillside STEM Grand Opening | Richmond Redevelopment & Housing Authority (rrha.com): RRHA Opens Third STEM Lab in the Hillside Community