Afterschool, AI & the Artemis Generation: 4 Takeaways from Inspire Momentum
[[{“value”:”
Hundreds of afterschool leaders, STEM industry partners, and youth Flight Crew members recently gathered in Orlando for STEM Next’s first-ever Inspire Momentum convening — three days of shared learning, honest conversation, and renewed commitment to the young people at the center of this work.
Career-connected learning, AI literacy, peer mentorship, and youth leadership were all on the agenda, along with the harder questions about how we strengthen the partnerships and build the collective momentum needed across the afterschool field to expand what works to more young people and communities.
Here are a few of the most memorable moments and takeaways.
AI Literacy Belongs in Afterschool
Building AI Literacy at Scale: What Comes Next, an expert panel moderated by STEM Next’s Melissa Moritz and featuring Joshua Elder (Qualcomm), Rachel Garrett (American Institutes for Research), Jason Strickland (Siegel Family Endowment), and Tami Jo Wilt (West Virginia Statewide Afterschool Network), explored what it will take to move AI literacy from promising pilots to lasting systems.
One idea stood out: While fears about AI are common among educators, communities, families and students, afterschool programs have a key role to play as trusted places for flexible, safe learning, and are the perfect place for young people to explore what AI can do beyond the chatbot.
The keynote for the Welcome Celebration from Neha Shukla, a 2023 STEM Next Flight Crew alum who is now a nationally recognized voice in AI ethics, also demonstrated why youth voice is so important in the AI literacy movement.
Space: The Next STEM Revolution
Dr. Bernard Harris Jr., STEM Next board member and the first African American to walk in space, spoke with three of our teen Flight Crew members about navigating doubt, his career path, and the exciting future ahead for space exploration and young people in STEM. He remarked that he views space as the next industrial revolution, and that as adults, our role is to remind youth that they are “infinite beings with infinite possibilities.”
Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, NASA’s first female launch director who led the launches for the Artemis missions, also gave a captivating speech at Kennedy Space Center, reminding us all how to turn inspiration into momentum.
“The difference in a dream and a reality is often the plan and being willing to work for it,” she said. “Your potential is whatever you want it to be.”
We Celebrated the Leaders Moving the Field Forward
We had the privilege of honoring three extraordinary afterschool leaders whose work has expanded opportunities for young people through afterschool and summer STEM. Katie O’Shea of Vermont Afterschool and Wayne Capps of the North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs received the 2026 STEM Next Leadership Award for their leadership in advancing career-connected learning, youth leadership, and statewide STEM initiatives.
STEM Next also honored founding Executive Director Ron Ottinger for his visionary leadership and lasting contributions to the national afterschool STEM movement as he prepares to retire later this year.
Building on Momentum
Day 3 shifted from inspiration to implementation. Working sessions tackled early career awareness, rewriting the math narrative, activating employer partnerships, designing professional learning for career-connected STEM, and using data to tell the story of out-of-school impact.
The thread running through all of it: no single organization can prepare young people for the future alone. Progress happens through partnership, shared learning, and a willingness to invest in bold ideas.
STEM Next is grateful to every speaker, facilitator, partner, Flight Crew member, and attendee who brought their expertise and energy to Orlando. The future of this work is in great hands, and we’re building on this momentum together.
The post Afterschool, AI & the Artemis Generation: 4 Takeaways from Inspire Momentum appeared first on STEM Next.
“}]]