Grantee Spotlight: STEAM:CODERS

With consistent funding support from PCF,  STEAM:CODERS helps local students claim their space, engage in learning, and envision their future 

STEAM:CODERS knows what makes today’s youth tick. By introducing them to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) disciplines like computer science, coding, cybersecurity, robotics, 3D printing, and video game development, the organization makes learning fun while accomplishing some serious goals.  

The organization, founded by Ray Ealy in 2015, is committed to bridging the persistent digital divide and ensuring that local students in elementary through high school have access to technology, Internet service, computer labs, field trips, quality instructors, and much more. Ealy laughs when saying

“We lead with fun and when they’re not paying attention, we sneak in some education. “We focus on things kids can relate to – they love technology, and they love figuring things out.”  

Because today’s education relies heavily on technology, the digital divide serves as a serious opportunity gap and disproportionately impacts students of color and low-income households.  It means students missing lessons, being unable to access materials, and struggling to complete assignments.

By exposing students to professionals who look like them and come from similar backgrounds, STEAM:CODERS also shows students that they belong in STEAM learning spaces and have what it takes to pursue STEAM careers. STEAM:CODERS’ partners include Pasadena City College, Caltech, Nickelodeon, and ArtCenter College of Design, and local businesses like JPL, ADP, Idealab, and Bluebeam.

Ealy notes, “A lot of our kids – probably 80% of them – if they decide to go to college, they’re the first in the family to do so. And they don’t see themselves reflected in many industries, so part of our model is to bring in speakers from various professions who are also from communities of color. You have to create that ‘it’s possible moment’ and let them hear these professionals’ back stories, how college helped them get to where they are now.”

A busy STEAM:CODERS classroom in the summer of 2021.

Ealy fondly remembers a Sneaker Design Camp that they hosted, taught by a Black instructor from ArtCenter who also designs for Air Jordan. “The kids were in awe! Before that week, kids could not conceive of themselves doing something like that.”  

STEAM:CODERS’ PCF Grants

STEAM:CODERS has received more than $160,000 in PCF Education Grants since 2017. In 2025 – in the wake of the devastating Eaton Fire, which destroyed hundreds of homes and disrupted countless students’ learning – the organization received $25,000 from PCF’s Eaton Fire Relief & Recovery Fund to support scholarships for its summer program for fire-survivor families.

“We live in an area with world-class institutions like JPL, Caltech, and ArtCenter, but students of color often cannot see themselves in those spaces. Our goal is to show these kids that they belong in STEAM learning spaces and have what it takes to pursue STEAM careers. The empowering piece is important to us.” 

~ ray Ealy, Executive Director of STEAM:CODERS