The Opioid Epidemic has left West Virginians with many challenges. Not only must West Virginians overcome the highest overdose deaths in the US, but also find solutions to the tragedies children continue to experience during this crisis. One in every 20 infants born are with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome,⁶ nearly 7,000 children are in foster care with 82% reporting parental substance abuse as a factor,⁷ and over 40,000 children are living with grandparents or relatives in kinship families.⁸ Children with NAS are more likely to be diagnosed with a developmental delay or speech or language impairment.⁹ Unfortunately, children in foster care and kinship families are also at an increased risk of learning challenges as well as abuse, neglect, trauma, and financial hardships.

According to the Association of Children’s Museums, “Museums can play a critical role in addressing societal challenges by providing special services to at-risk children and serving as a source of continuity, acceptance, and emotional support.”¹⁰ HCM will make sure camps, programs, and visits are accessible and affordable to nontraditional families as an effort to provide stability, structure, and positive relationships for children and respite care for caregivers. HCM will also develop partnerships with social service organizations to connect families with the resources and information they need. HCM will help kinship families, foster families, and other marginalized groups develop a sense of community by providing meeting places and hosting events specifically for these groups.

By the 5th grade, less than half of Cabell County students are proficient in math and science. Proficiency continues to decrease at each grade level. By the eleventh grade, only a quarter of students are proficient in math and 30% in science.¹¹ The Institute of Museum and Library Services found that children who visit museums have higher achievement in reading, math, and science regardless of race or socioeconomic status.¹² Huntington Children’s Museum will work with schools, parents, and the community to bring exhibits and services which will improve math and science proficiency results in Cabell County.

Children in Cabell County live in poverty at a rate of 1.5 times the rate of the national average.¹³ Approximately 39% of children in Huntington live in poverty — almost double the state rate.¹⁴ According to “STEM Equity in Informal Learning Settings: The Role of Public Libraries,” girls, ethnic minorities, children from low-income households, and children with disabilities are more likely to show disinterest in STEM activities and therefore less likely to pursue STEM careers. Those who are historically underrepresented in the STEM field lack accessibility to STEM programs, face cultural, structural, and institutional barriers, struggle with gaps in knowledge, and are overwhelmed by stereotypes.¹⁵

Huntington Children’s Museum’s environment will be inviting to nontraditional museum goers. Parents will learn to be partners in their children’s learning. Families will learn together by allowing their children to explore their curiosities. Developing STEAM thinking from a young age, will help children reduce knowledge gaps as well as help them learn how to acquire new information, make mistakes and learn from them in order to solve problems, and ask for help. Successful women and minorities in the STEAM field will be highlighted throughout our museum. Community input will be vital to make sure exhibits and programs interest a variety of learners. We will allocate funds to make our museum and its programs accessible to all children. We will offer discounted tickets and passes for low-income families. Scholarships will be available for afterschool programs. We will make an effort to work with nearby elementary schools to make sure students who would like to participate in museum programming aren’t being left out because of inaccessibility to transportation or lack of funds.

According to the Education Commision of The States, STEM jobs in West Virginia are growing faster than jobs in other fields and STEM median earnings per hour almost double median hourly earnings in all other fields. West Virginia loses STEM talent at a higher rate than the United States as a whole at every level of education. Students must be engaged in STEM from an early age to ensure we have a qualified workforce in the future.¹⁶

Research from the Associations of Children’s Museums found that, across the country, children’s museums contributed $5.5 billion to the regional economy and paid $2 billion in salaries while supporting 57,281 jobs and 536 industries. Regardless of size, museums make a substantial impact on economic activity.¹⁷