NineDot Energy and VBGCQ Unveil New Tech & Clean Energy Lab for Astoria Youth!

The Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens (VBGCQ) and NineDot Energy have come together to unveil something special in Astoria. The NineDot Energy Tech & Clean Energy Lab is a state-of-the-art space designed to bring STEM learning and clean energy education to the Club's Teen Center. Funded through a major contribution from NineDot Energy, the lab is equipped with high-performance computers, workstations, and interactive technology, giving young people the tools to explore career pathways in battery storage, renewable energy, and grid modernization.

But the lab is just part of the story. A stunning community mural, designed collaboratively by Club youth and Queens-born artist Fernando "Ski" Romero, now anchors the space. It tells the story of Astoria's evolution from a neighborhood rooted in fossil fuel infrastructure to one embracing a cleaner, more sustainable future. For Romero, a native of Astoria himself, the project was deeply personal and a chance to inspire the next generation through art.

NineDot's investment also includes an annual Clean Energy Summit, connecting Club members directly with industry professionals and real-world applications of sustainable technology. For VBGCQ, which serves more than 5,000 young people annually, the partnership represents a long-term commitment to expanding access, opportunity, and a seat at the table in New York's growing clean energy economy.