Empowering the Next Generation of Innovators through StreamWise
Tucked in the heart of Southwest Virginia, a bold and innovative program is helping students kindergarten through high school gain experience in science, technology, research, engineering, the arts and mathematics.
STREAMWISE was founded during a pivotal computer science education initiative led by Heather Askea, who is now the UVA Wise STREAM Outreach Coordinator and served as part of the Southwest Virginia Public Education Consortium in 2020, when the pandemic forced learning into virtual spaces. Askea recognized the deeper issue of regional inequities and access to STEM opportunities.
Askea says that a trip to a coding camp in East Tennessee with a group of middle school girls was a turning point.
‘We shouldn’t have to drive hours for this.’ That spark turned into strategy and with a $65,000 investment from UVA’s Strategic Investment Fund, STREAMWISE was launched, fully equipped with drones, iPads, robots and STEM kits.
—Heather Askea ’01
Askea, a former classroom teacher and Instructional Technology Coordinator at the Center for Teaching Excellence, officially became the STREAM Outreach Coordinator in November 2023. “This role lets me build on relationships I’ve spent years cultivating across Southwest Virginia and now I get to work directly with their students, too,” she says.
STREAMWISE takes a comprehensive approach that adds Arts and Research such as data science to the traditional STEM model. Students don’t just learn, they get to build, create, solve and present. From classroom-based activities to high-energy campus visits, STREAMWISE connects community, curriculum and creativity. The initiative’s heartbeat is simple, providing access and opportunity.
Coding Confidence and Robotics Rallies
STREAMWISE’s SWVA Can Code initiative is now in its third year, having reached more than 500 students across 15 school divisions. Students participate in camps, tackle real-world coding challenges and showcase their work at the annual Regional Pitch Fest and Showcase held at UVA Wise’s David J. Prior Convocation Center.
STREAMWISE also hosts the Robot Drone League (RDL) and RDL Jr Appalachian Regionals, drawing teams from Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina. In 2024, more than 200 students competed. With the upcoming addition of the Sea, Air and Land Challenge through a new partnership with Penn State, UVA Wise will be just the second host in Virginia.
“Our goal is to help students learn to do hard things until they’re not hard anymore,” says Askea. “That kind of empowerment opens doors.”
STREAMWISE is laying the groundwork for even bigger things. The current STREAMWISE Learning Hub in Darden Hall’s lower level will evolve into a Destination Learning Center. The vision is a STEM gym, multi-use space, immersive 3D simulations and advanced prototyping via new rendering and 3D printing capabilities.
Ambassadors of Impact
One of STREAMWISE’s most transformative elements is the STREAM Ambassadors program, launched in 2024. UVA Wise student interns don’t just assist, they also lead. They co-teach coding and robotics, support faculty-led camps and workshops, design instructional media and inspire young learners across the region.
“As an intern, I get to gain practical experience, develop critical skills and engage with the community,” said a STREAMWISE Ambassador. “The program also promotes collaboration and innovation, which strengthen ties between education and community.”
Camren Cooper, a computer science major at UVA Wise says, “STREAMWISE impacts our campus community in real ways. Getting to witness it and be a part of the impact is valuable to my education.”
A STREAM of Possibilities
At its core, STREAMWISE is about the transformation of students, schools and entire communities. It’s about equipping the next generation not just with knowledge, but with vision and confidence.
As Askea and her team map out what’s next, one thing is clear, STREAMWISE isn’t just a program at UVA Wise, it’s a promise to the region. A promise that no student should have to leave their community to access opportunity.
And as STREAMWISE grows, so does the possibility that Southwest Virginia becomes known not just for its mountains, but for its minds.