QSTEM

I was first introduced to Quicken Loans^® QSTEM program in February of 2017 when I signed up to volunteer for one of the upcoming “Byte Basic” classes. I had become aware of this volunteer opportunity from an email from our Community Hub team. QSTEM is a volunteer-based program that Quicken Loans created where students from several local Detroit middle schools are invited to come on-site for a half-day and get a hands-on learning experience about technology and computer programming.

One of the things I really liked about this volunteer opportunity was that team members didn’t have to work solely in technology in order to volunteer. Although there are a lot of technology team member who volunteer for QSTEM, there are also team members from many different business areas who come out to volunteer for QSTEM classes as well. I enjoyed hearing team members who weren’t from technology talk about the new things they learned and how they had misconceptions about the classes being much more complicated than they were.

The curriculum for the QSTEM program was created based on a platform called littleBits. LittleBits are pretty much a kit of little modular electronic pieces that snap together like Legos but with small magnets. The littleBits kits were used for creating mock prototypes for projects and learning about the different input and output devices used for computers. The exercises throughout the classes allowed students to use things like mini circuit boards, small batteries, USB power supplies, fans, light bulbs, buttons, buzzers, bells and timers. Most, if not all, of the QSTEM classes in the curriculum are designed so that students can complete their work individually and within small groups. Volunteers circulate the room to help anyone who gets hung up on an assignment and there is typically one volunteer facilitating the overall class. 

After having such an amazing time volunteering with the littleBits classes, I volunteered for the Megabyte Masters cohort program the following year, where Quicken Loans selected and invited specific Detroit middle schools back on a somewhat biweekly basis over the course of 3 months. The Megabyte Masters cohort program allows students to utilize their past experiences and knowledge from the littleBits classes. The cohort program is where computer coding concepts are introduced to the students. The curriculum leverages a commonly known technology platform called Raspberry Pi and minicomputers called Kano computers. Each student is given their own Kano computer, which is preloaded with games, connects to Wi-Fi and has the learning applications that the volunteers use to teach coding lessons. One of the motivating and exciting factors for the students is that they get to take the Kano computers home with them at the end of the cohort program.

QSTEM will be using Google Chromebooks instead of Kano computers this year and the students will get to take the Chromebooks home with them at the end of the program as well. The program isn’t just about learning technology. During the different classes, we incorporate a variety of other lessons from problem-solving skills, communication skills, design thinking and creativity.

QSTEM has had a great impact on me. In the past I never really had a desire to be in a teaching role, especially not for younger students. Little did I know it would be something I really enjoyed and was surprisingly pretty good at. My passion for working in technology paired with my love for youth mentoring has made being a QSTEM volunteer and course facilitator become second nature. This year, as we prepared for the Megabyte Master cohort to kick off, I had the pleasure of contributing content for the curriculum. It’s a great feeling knowing that most of the students are grateful for being chosen to be a part of the QSTEM program. The students are always excited, engaged and eager to get started which in turn makes myself and the other volunteers excited and look forward to the next session. Being a youth mentor has always given me a sense of fulfillment. QSTEM is one of the best opportunities I’ve had to be a STEM mentor and Quicken Loans allows me to fulfill my passions.

The QSTEM program came to life through Quicken Loans’ partnership with The Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP), which gave me an additional incentive to volunteer for QSTEM. DAPCEP has been around since I was in elementary school and they’ve always had the mission to generate excitement and prepare minority students in underrepresented communities for careers in technology, engineering and science. I’ve volunteered for other youth and STEM related events through DACPEP and those were all great experiences as well. I went to Detroit Public Schools growing up and would have loved to be a part of a program like QSTEM; you can’t really put a price on the experience and exposure that QSTEM provides.