United Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara County celebrated the opening of a new technology-filled Innovation Lab at its Carpinteria club made possible by $25,000 grant from the James M. Cox Foundation.
The Cox Innovation Lab was unveiled with a grand opening ceremony Oct. 3 held by Cox Communications and the United Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara County in Carpinteria.
Attending the event was Super Bowl champion, author and digital literacy champion Malcolm Mitchell.
Mitchell was joined by Tony Vallejo, United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County Board trustee; County Supervisor Das Williams; Carpinteria Councilmember Mónica J. Solórzano; Esmeralda Estrada, representing Rep. Salud Carbajal; Geordie Scully, representing state Sen. Monique Limon; and Wade T. Nomura, Carpinteria councilmember at large.
The donation is part of greater gifts from the James M. Cox Foundation and Cox Communications to open 11 additional Cox Innovation Labs in California, Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Nevada and Virginia; develop STEM programming; and provide training for Boys & Girls Club staff this year.
The Cox Innovation Labs are the cornerstone of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Club Tech program, which provides students access to curriculum to advance their computer literacy skills and help bridge the digital divide for children without access to a computer or internet connection at home.
“This grant will allow us to offer a very diverse STEM program to our members,” said Michael Baker, CEO for the United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County. “The ongoing relationship we have had with James M. Cox Foundation has been incredibly impactful for our organization.”
In Carpinteria the Cox Innovation Lab will give local Boys & Girls Club members the freedom to explore their interest in STEM while providing those without a computer or internet access a way to get connected and manage through distance learning.
The lab includes laptop computers, furniture, 3D printers, Wifi and internet services provided by Cox.
Cox’s partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America began in the 1970s and expanded significantly in 2004 with the launch of innovation labs, making 2024 a milestone year that celebrates two decades of growth and impact.
“We are thrilled to celebrate this new lab and 20 years of innovation, thanks to the generosity and vision of the James M. Cox Foundation,” said Kirsten McLaughlin, Cox Communications market vice president.
“Every child deserves the opportunity to dream big, and as a longstanding partner of United Boys & Girls Club of Santa Barbara County, Cox remains committed to providing Santa Barbara the resources our community needs to help build a better future for the next generation,” she said.