Future Focus Foundation
3506 Wards Road
Lynchburg, VA 24502
United States
The mission of the Future Focus Foundation is to prepare and encourage Central Virginia students in K-12 and beyond to seek careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields and to provide a pipeline for a technically and scientifically proficient workforce. We believe our region has a vibrant network of STEM-interested partners to help us elevate STEM learning. Since 2019 our board embraced a fresh approach to our mission.
We believe creating opportunities for educators to connect, collaborate, and grow their comfort in designing STEM learning experiences is critical to preparing and encouraging Central Virginia students in K-12 and beyond to seek careers in STEM fields.
Our STEM Education Series links teachers with STEM sites while providing fun, engaging professional learning and mini-grant opportunities. We connect educators to STEM-based businesses and organizations within the Great Lynchburg Area.
The Future Focus Foundation is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit partner of the XLR8 Lynchburg Regional Governor’s STEM Academy and the Central Virginia Regional Science Fair. The STEM Academy is the 16th regional Governor’s STEM Academy offering programs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (subjects known collectively as “STEM”) for high school juniors and seniors in Virginia’s Region 2000/Lynchburg regional area. The Central Virginia Regional Science Fair, founded in 1972, encourages students to use their curiosity and pursue science investigations.
- Over the past two years we awarded nine STEM mini-grants for teachers in grades K-9.
- In 2022, we offered four STEM professional development opportunities for 60 teachers with twelve new partners in our region.
- In 2023 we helped establish the Region 2000 KidWind Challenge for grades 6-8 by partnering with JMU’s Center for the Advancement of Sustainable Energy and Rand
