America is in the midst of several simultaneous crises:
1. The COVID-19 pandemic, which has killed over 100,000 people, driven the unemployment rate to the highest since great depression, and American families are losing their housing and health care.
2. Global Warming, and climate change is causing severe weather disasters including larger, more frequent hurricanes and massive wildfires around the world including the United States.
3. The fight for social justice and racial equality, has brought Americans together in nation-wide protests, exercising their 1st amendment rights, and the right to vote.
Most schools have closed because of the pandemic and many students are now being home-schooled for the first time. Homeschooling is not easy. Good organization and time management are needed for success. School districts are attempting to provide a basic curriculum online, but it is inadequate to meet the needs of students who require a full and enriched education that includes the arts, sciences, and going outdoors to get some exercise and experience nature.
This is a big problem, but we have a solution: Our ongoing series of free and safe STEAM oriented field study workshops in photography. Meeting outdoors at public parks in the East Bay, we explore various aspects of art and science as we encounter them. We observe safety protocols by wearing masks and social distancing.
I am Charmienne Butterfield, and I am a primary Steamgraphic instructor and curriculum developer. As a senior in high school who has been home-schooled from Kindergarten through 12th grade, I know the challenges of learning remotely. I have won awards for my wildlife photography, and have mentored and taught classes in tech to school-aged children. I am passionate about obtaining equal opportunity for everyone. I designed and built this website to give Steamgraphic students an opportunity to shine and be appreciated for their fine work. My family and I founded Steamgraphic in the spring of 2020 initially as a response to the urgent need for help with the sudden closing of the public school system. Additionally, we are reaching out to communities that are underrepresented to help empower them to gain entry into the science and tech fields. We know a great many women and people of color who are the only person who looks like them in their schools or workplaces. This is especially true in many tech companies and colleges. We hope to enrich these fields through diversity by helping break down the barriers to inclusion.