MISSION & HISTORY

The mission of Building Blocks 2 Success is to get ethnically and gender-diverse underrepresented youth from the Portland Metropolitan area excited about Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) through exposure and participation in STEM-related programs and activities.

Science

🧪

Technology

💡

Engineering

🚀

Math

📐

Science 🧪 Technology 💡 Engineering 🚀 Math 📐

In 2013, our co-founders and long-time community mentors, Antonio Jackson, and Dr. Ernest Hartzog, founded Building Blocks 2 Success (BB2S).

STEM is an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to learning. Through hands-on learning, BB2S’ curriculum develops critical, problem-solving skills, and creative thinking skills using a series of STEM challenges that are both fun and educational. Our programs teach youth a fundamental skill set through math and science, developing a life-long love and curiosity for learning.

Careers in STEM fields are among the highest paying jobs and disproportionately under-filled by minority populations. While BB2S serves all youth identified as underserved from lower economic stations, it focuses on youth of color. BB2S is geared toward exposing these underserved, often overlooked youth to STEM-related programs and activities, getting them excited about STEM through creative, fun, team-building, and educational STEM related activities.

BB2S operates in the heart of North & Northeast Portland, partnering with area schools to utilize existing environments to expand learning opportunities. In addition, our partnership with the University of Portland creates a pathway exposing youth to higher education. This inner-city connection allows students to learn on a College Campus surrounded by an educational setting in the heart of a thriving community.