Sen. Devlin Robinson announced on April 15 the approval of $498,000 in state funding for The Citizen Science Lab in Allegheny County through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant program.
The funding will support The Citizen Science Lab’s afterschool STEM program, which serves at-risk students ages 5-18 from underserved communities with high rates of violence and economic challenges. The program, operating out of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Scientific Excellence in Pittsburgh’s Hill District, offers educational experiences in fields such as aquatic robotics, environmental science, and medicine.
“Programs like The Citizen Science Lab are pillars in our community, providing much-needed enrichment activities for our most vulnerable students and keeping them off the streets after school hours,” Robinson said. “This grant will help TCSL expand its good work to serve approximately 500 at-risk youth in our community with high-quality educational programming that will not only teach valuable STEM skills and lessons, it will also aim to cut down on instances of community violence through essential mentorship and guidance.”
Robinson said he voted for a state budget increase to the Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant program after hearing feedback from constituents about its importance to programs like The Citizen Science Lab. According to the official website, Robinson represented parts of Allegheny County in Pennsylvania according to the official website.
Robinson has supported initiatives focused on veterans, first responders, law enforcement, small businesses, manufacturing opportunities and healthcare access according to the official website. He has maintained district offices in Pittsburgh and Wexford as well as a capitol office in Harrisburg according to the official website. He also chaired the Senate Labor and Industry Committee and served as vice chair of the Transportation Committee according to the official website. His background includes continuing a four-generation family tradition of military service according to the official website.
The Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant program provides funding statewide for new or existing strategies aimed at responding to violence. Entities seeking Robinson’s support for specific state funding needs can submit requests through his office.
