The People Reaching Intuition in Mathematics for Empowerment Program (PRIME) is an after-school program that gives interested high school students from Youngstown City Schools the opportunity to participate in mathematical activities and experiment with mathematical research. PRIME’s main goal is to inspire scholars to pursue education after high school in STEM areas and to give them the confidence, enjoyment, and tools to be able to fulfill their mathematics requirements to get that degree. The program is run by Dr. Alexis Byers, Dr. Alicia Prieto Langarica, Mr. Charles Stark of East High School, and Ms. Brenda Scott in the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Dr. Prieto and Dr. Byers oversee mathematical research projects with the PRIME scholars over the course of the academic year in twice-monthly sessions on YSU's campus. Additionally, the scholars participate in active mathematics seminars to introduce new mathematics to PRIME scholars as well as show different career options for mathematicians. Ms. Scott helps provide further support for the scholars by pairing them with AIM mentors, first generation undergraduate students of color at YSU, to give PRIME scholars on-going college readiness support to improve high school students' knowledge of college options and chances of college success.

This past spring, PRIME was awarded a Tensor-SUMMA grant from the Mathematical Association of America that has provided the resources to finally get the program off the ground. PRIME had its first session on October 6, and 12 interested East High School students were in attendance. Not only are all 12 students expected to return for the next 12 sessions over the course of the academic year, but they have inspired even more of their classmates to sign up for upcoming sessions. Overall, 15-20 PRIME Scholars in this inaugural cohort!