2024 Award Recipient
JonathanTamen
Project Helping Hands MB
Project Helping Hands MB
While Jonathan was serving as the captain of the first-ever Miami Beach Senior High School robotics team, he knew he wanted to provide opportunities for elementary students from low-income homes to learn coding and robotics.
He developed an idea to engage high school students in mentoring younger students, and pitched this proposal to the Mayor and Commissioners of the City of Miami Beach. They enthusiastically agreed to sponsor the project through a free summer camp, and Helping Hands MB was born.
Jonathan recruited bilingual volunteer camp instructors to work one-on-one with students on activities that build STEAM skills and confidence. Many volunteers were first-generation and immigrant students who created an instant rapport with younger camp attendees, many of whom had recently arrived from South and Central America.
As of July 2024, more than 1,200 students in grades 3-12 had participated in a Helping Hands MB project with guidance from 120 volunteers. In a participant survey, 75% of students said they liked science more since starting the program.
Helping Hands MB unites the community to address disparities in education through a transformative STEAM enrichment summer camp program for underserved elementary and middle school students. Whether running a free arts and engineering summer camp for kids who recently immigrated to the U.S., mentoring teenagers for leadership roles, or teaching middle school students to 3D print and assemble prosthetic hands—Helping Hands MB uses innovation, technology, and kindness to strengthen community bonds and make a difference in young people’s lives.
