SPHA IN THE NEWS: St. Petersburg Housing Authority Launches New STEM Program
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) has a new program aimed at introducing cutting-edge technology to children living in SPHA communities. It's being paid for with a grant from the Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to launch the Gulf Futures 3D project.
SPHA IN THE NEWS:
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Video Report by Saundra Weathers, Spectrum Bay News 9 Reporter
The program kicked off with SPHA youth exploring how to connect science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in their own backyard. On December 22, 2025, SPHA youth went on a STEM field trip to the Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center at the St. Pete Pier, followed by a boat ride.
For many of the kids, this was their first time seeing the Bay from a boat.
"They just get exposure to things they haven't gotten exposed to, especially in regards to STEM learning that they may not get in their school curriculum and understanding that Black faces can be in green careers, green fields, and that this is something that applies to them," said Amiya Sloan, SPHA's STEM Education & Innovation Specialist.
Sloan is one of the instructors bringing in 3D technology, scientific exploration, and helping the kids build confidence while exploring new career paths.
It's being paid for with a $740,860 grant from the Gulf Research Program (GRP) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to launch the Gulf Futures 3D project.
Kiara Lovett, SPHA Director of Social Services, said this is part of the work SPHA is doing for its young residents. "The goal of the grant is to connect environmental sciences to STEM," said Lovett. "So how can the youth take ownership and pride in their own communities by 3D modeling and exploring their waterways, etc."
The three-year program is available for children who live in SPHA properties. "Our kids are underserved and underprivileged, but they have the greatest minds, and they can be anything in this world they want to be and that's most importantly what I want them to know," said Lovett.
Jade Timmons (SPHA's Youth & STEM Program Coordinator), Amiya Sloan (SPHA's STEM Education & Innovation Specialist), and SPHA youth at the Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center.
The Gulf Futures 3D project will establish 3D technology labs within SPHA communities, providing a transformative way to engage youth in scientific exploration.
Equipped with 3D printers, virtual reality goggles, and 3D scanners, participants will use 3D technology to address real-world socio-environmental challenges in the Gulf region. The program will prepare youth for 21st-century careers while empowering them to design sustainable solutions for their communities.
To learn more about the program, email: [email protected]
SPHA is the leading affordable housing provider in the city of St. Petersburg, serving more than 4,000 low-income households. SPHA's mission is to provide safe, sanitary, accessible, decent, and affordable housing to eligible citizens of the city of St. Petersburg, while enhancing and promoting resident self-sufficiency.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are private, nonprofit institutions that provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions related to science, engineering, and medicine. The National Academies operate under an 1863 congressional charter to the National Academy of Sciences, signed by President Lincoln.
The National Academies' Gulf Research Program (GRP) is an independent, science-based program founded in 2013 as part of legal settlements with the companies involved in the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. The GRP's mission is to develop, translate, and apply science to enhance the safety of offshore energy, the environment, and the well-being of the people of the Gulf region for generations to come. It supports innovative science, guides data design and monitoring, and builds and sustains networks to generate long-term benefits for the Gulf region and the nation.
ABOUT THE ST. PETERSBURG HOUSING AUTHORITY (SPHA):
An independent quasi-governmental entity and a political subdivision of the State of Florida, operating under Chapter 421 Florida Statutes, SPHA is the local administrative agency for housing assistance programs funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). SPHA offers a variety of programs and services that provide affordable rental housing to low-income families, seniors, veterans, and the disabled in the greater St. Petersburg region. For more information, visit www.stpeteha.org.