Education for Tomorrow Alliance was formed in 1989 to support student interest in math, science, technology and engineering.[/caption]
For more than 26 years, the Education for Tomorrow Alliance has provided a platform for business and science professionals to cultivate Montgomery County’s future workforce.
“[The EFTA founders] were mostly scientists and researchers from different parts of the country,” President Monica Bomkamp Enia said. “They started having conversations about how they could collaborate and how they could give back to the community.”
Today, the organization works to cultivate the next generation by organizing career development programs and science competitions for Conroe ISD students. EFTA’s programs engage thousands of children starting in kindergarten through 12th grade and rely on more than 500 volunteers each year.
EFTA was formed in 1989 as a partnership between volunteers and The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce before becoming an official nonprofit organization in 1995, Bomkamp Enia said. She said the organization united the business community in a shared goal to support student interest in the science, technology, engineering and math fields.
EFTA’s flagship program is SCI: //TECH, which is an annual series of STEM-themed fairs, quiz bowls, showcases and competitions featuring 13 competitions and events happening at various CISD schools over the course of four weekends. Bomkamp Enia said the program has 1,600 high school students participating in 2016 and requires 400 volunteers.
“It is by design a series of science and technology events, but you don’t have to be a science kid to have fun with it,” she said. “It really is a whole range of kids.”
She said EFTA’s biggest volunteer need is SCI: //TECH, but the organization is always seeking volunteers for all initiatives. Huntsman Corporation and Entergy Texas are among EFTA’s largest supporters. Enia welcomes volunteers from professional backgrounds to participate in the nonprofit’s programs.
Bomkamp Enia said CISD has been a long-standing partner in all EFTA programs since the organization started. She said EFTA also began building up its relationship with the schools and counselors in Montgomery and Willis.
“Everything we do is through the support of our community and our sponsors,” Bomkamp Enia said. “Most of our supporters are corporations—of course, we do have individual support as well—but they’re all involved in investing in what goes on in the community.”
3200 College Park Drive, Ste. E205, Conroe 936-271-6150 www.efta-us.org
