Students will have more opportunities to learn about robotics through a partnership between the LAUSD and the i.am Angel Foundation. (photo courtesy of the LAUSD)

Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Austin Beutner and musician, tech entrepreneur and philanthropist will.i.am announced a new effort to expand science, technology, engineering, arts and math education for students in underserved communities.

The LAUSD has seen the positive success the artist’s i.am Angel Foundation has achieved by serving 1,400 students in Boyle Heights during the past 11 years. LAUSD and the i.am Angel Foundation are partnering this summer to bring STEAM skill sets to more than 400 new robotics clubs at middle and high schools. Approximately 12,000 students are anticipated to participate in the programs when the school year starts in August.

“Twelve-thousand more students will have the opportunity to learn how to play new team sport – building robots and competing alongside friends,” Beutner said. “STEAM education will provide students with hands-on learning opportunities and the knowledge needed to earn good-paying jobs in the technology industry.”

Created by will.i.am in 2009, the i.am Angel Foundation supports students living below the poverty line in the neighborhood in which he grew up in Boyle Heights and East Los Angeles. It provides access to after-school tutoring, STEAM courses, robotics clubs and computer coding classes.

“Every school has a basketball court and many have football fields, but only two businesses benefit from these skill sets, and it’s mostly for boys,” said will.i.am, well-known as a founding member of the Black Eyed Peas. “Football is great, but my niece will never play for the NFL. With robotics clubs, boys and girls can learn valuable STEM skills and how to work in teams – knowledge that helps secure college scholarships and eventually, high-paying jobs. With FIRST Robotics, every child can be a winner in school, work and in life. My mission is to put a robotics club in every public school, and we are off to a great start with this new program in Los Angeles.”

For information, visit achieve.lausd.net/robotics.