Northeast Wilmington Welcomes New STEM Resource Center: A Hub for Community Development

January 14, 2025

“A $27 Million STEM Facility Opens in Northeast Wilmington, Bridging Education, Workforce Development, and Mental Health Access for Families”

By Saquan Stimpson

Wilmington, Del – In a groundbreaking step toward community enrichment, the Eastside Charter School in Northeast Wilmington unveiled its new Community STEM Hub—a $27 million facility that promises to revolutionize workforce development, mental health access, and STEM education in Delaware. The building, which took nearly three years to complete, officially opened its doors during a celebratory event featuring speeches from prominent leaders, including United States Senators Chris Coons and Lisa Blunt Rochester, United States Representative Sarah McBride, Governor-elect Matt Meyer, and Ray Rhodes, Director of the STEM Hub.

Eastside Charter School CEO Aaron Bass underscored the transformative impact of the project: “If we are truly committed to making an impact on education and breaking cycles of poverty, we have to address the needs of the whole family. This hub is more than a building; it’s a lifeline to better opportunities for adults and children alike.”

The Community STEM Hub, the first open-access STEM facility in Delaware, represents a bold effort to address systemic challenges in workforce preparedness, youth education, and mental health.

•Workforce Development: The hub offers adults free access to training and certification in high-demand fields such as coding, nursing, lab assistance, financial literacy, and gaming. Key partners, including Chemours and Barclays, have pledged resources to ensure participants gain the skills and support needed to secure viable careers. “You can walk off the street, connect with our partners, and leave with certifications for in-demand jobs,” Bass explained.

•STEM Education for Youth: The facility’s state-of-the-art features include a gaming lab, fully equipped chemistry labs where children can explore robotics, esports, and hands-on STEM projects. “Imagine a mother learning to become a chemical lab assistant while her child is in the next room building a robot,” Bass said. “That’s the vision we had when we created this space.”

•Mental Health Services: Recognizing the urgent need for accessible mental health care, the hub provides counseling services to the public five days a week. Additionally, a student-based health center, operated by Westside Health, exclusively serves Eastside Charter School students.

STEM hubs are collaborative spaces that bring together educators, industry leaders, and community organizations to foster innovation and opportunity. They play a critical role in bridging the gap between education and employment by providing hands-on learning experiences, promoting equity in underserved communities, and addressing the nation’s STEM workforce shortages. The Eastside STEM Hub is part of a broader national push to prepare the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators while creating pathways for adults to engage in growing industries.

Before you kill purposeThe ambitious project was funded through a combination of federal and state contributions totaling $13 million, along with support from private donors and corporate sponsors. Chemours, which contributed $4 million, earned naming rights to the building. Despite the success in securing funding, Bass expressed optimism for future collaborations with the City of Wilmington, which has not yet contributed financially.

The grand opening ceremony featured a distinguished lineup of speakers who highlighted the importance of the hub for Northeast Wilmington and beyond. United States Senator Chris Coons called the initiative a “game-changer for the community,” while United States Representative Sarah McBride emphasized the need for more accessible STEM education. Governor-elect Matt Meyer and Ray Rhodes, Director of the STEM Hub, celebrated the partnerships that made the project possible, each underscoring its potential to serve as a model for other communities.

The Community STEM Hub is now open to the public Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m., with plans to expand hours and include weekend access. It is located on Eastside Charter School’s campus, and anyone interested in workforce training, mental health services, or STEM activities is encouraged to visit.

“This is just the beginning,” said Bass. “We believe this hub can serve as a model for other communities across Delaware and the nation. Our goal is to replicate this initiative so more families can benefit from these life-changing resources.”

For more information, visit EastsideCharter.org.