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Science Club is a community of kids and mentors, supported by scientists, educators and the Boys & Girls Club.

WHO WE ARE

Science Club was developed in close collaboration between the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago, teachers from Chicago Public Schools, and Northwestern University. The program aims to promote engagement in the sciences and to close the science achievement gap for underserved youth in Chicago.

Since 2008, Science Club has recruited over 100 scientist mentors to work with small groups of youth every week throughout the school year at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago. The program was originally funded by the NIH Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) and has since grown with the generous support of the Lewis Sebring Foundation, Silverstein Foundation, Shaw Family Foundation, American Honda Foundation and The Driskill Foundation.

OUR HISTORY

2008
2009
2012
2013
2015
2016
2017
2018
2008

The First Sessions of Science Club

Chicago Public School teachers were looking for a way to engage their students in real-world science and engineering research. In 2008, they would often contact Dr. Michael Kennedy, then the Director of Education and Outreach for the Center for Genetic Medicine at Northwestern University, to arrange for field trips to a lab or for a scientist to visit the classroom.

There was clearly a need to connect Chicago kids to scientists.

While these experiences were always exciting for the students and the scientists, there had to be a way to make a bigger impact on the kids and build their confidence, abilities, and interest in science over the long-term.

After working together with the Boys & Girls Clubs and with Chicago Public School teachers, Dr. Kennedy and Dr. Carolyn Jahn launched the Science Club program in the spring of 2008. Four Northwestern University scientists volunteered to mentor about 12 kids at the Pedersen-McCormick Boys & Girls Club. It was an early success!

2009

Science Club Receives National Institutes for Health Grant

Both kids and mentors were enthusiastic about Science Club. In 2009, Science Club received its first major funding from a competitive $1.5 million, five-year grant from National Institutes for Health Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA).

Funding from the NIH allowed the program to grow. Starting in Fall 2009, Science Club began to serve 40 youth a week with the help of 20 scientist mentors. Science Club was now meeting two days a week at the Pedersen-McCormick Boys & Girls Club.

The NIH grant also funded a formal education research study. The Science Club study examined whether a small-group, mentorship-led model for science education could significantly impact youth science engagement and habits of mind along with building mentor skills in teaching and communicating.

Work also begins to create the Science Club curriculum. Six new hands-on modules are created in collaboration between Northwestern University staff, scientist volunteers, and Chicago Public School teachers.

2012

Science Club Serves More Youth

Interest in Science Club continued to grow. By 2012, Science Club was serving 60 Chicago youth every week with the support of 30 scientist mentors. The partnership with Goudy Elementary School in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago helped create a steady stream of students interested in Science Club.

Other kids at the Boys & Girls Club also started developing an interest in STEM programs. The Junior Science Club program began engaging K-5 youth in science and teaching them fundamental science skills. Promoting Innercity Youth in Science and Medicine (PRISM), a program managed by the Northwestern University MSTP students, teaches high school youth about health-medicine careers.

2013

Science Club Wins STEM Impact Award

The Afterschool Alliance and Noyce Foundation awarded Science Club its inaugural STEM Impact Award in 2013. Competing against 200 other after school programs, Science Club was one of two programs to win a $10,000 award.

“This is an outstanding program, no question about it,” said James Keane, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago. “Science Club participants understand they really can achieve their dreams. Our children are getting the best level of science education at their ages anywhere.”

2015

Science Club Expands to Little Village

The summative report for Science Club shows that the program has a profound effect on both youth and mentors. Data shows that youth emerge from the program with greater confidence in their problem solving abilities, a better understanding of the scientific method, and alumni are going on to STEM careers. Mentors also report gaining valuable skills and a strong desire to incorporate community engagement in their careers.

Based on this success, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago collaborate with Northwestern University to start a second Science Club site at the True Value Boys & Girls Club in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago. With the support of the American Honda Foundation, Science Club begins serving 100 youth a week and training 50 scientist mentors. Scientists from University of Illinois-Chicago and University of Chicago also start volunteering with the program.

2016

Science Club Summer Camp Begins

The mentorship-based model for Science Club provides the foundation for Science Club Summer Camp, a new teacher professional development program focused on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

The Science Club teams wins a second $1.2 million NIH SEPA grant for Science Club Summer Camp. Fourteen teachers participate in the first cohort.

Seventy-five Boys & Girls Club elementary youth (ages 7-9) also participate in 10-weeks of hands-on science and engineering fun.

Science Club Summer Camp runs at the Pedersen-McCormick and True Value Boys & Girls Clubs, providing Chicago Public School teachers and youth with a supportive place to explore STEM and to learn to think like scientists.

2017

Science Club Grows Again!

Science Club expands to two more sites: this time in Evanston, Illinois. Our partnership network grows to include Family Focus and McGaw YMCA’s MetaMedia. Programming is still within established afterschool spaces to support traditionally underserved and low-income communities.

2018

Science Club TED Talk

For our 10 year anniversary, Science Club founder Mike Kennedy and the VP for Youth Development at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago took to the stage to share the Science Club model.

Part of TEDxNorthwestern, their joint presentation looks at the program’s development and youth and mentor data and outcomes from the first decade of operation.

OUR TEAM

Science in Society at Northwestern University

Michael Kennedy

Michael Kennedy

Director
Emily Mathews

Emily Mathews

Senior Program Coordinator
Tanicia Burns

Tanicia Burns

Program Coordinator
Ashley Jennings

Ashley Jennings

Program Coordinator

Community Partners

Colette Allen

Colette Allen

Evanston Center Director
Family Focus
Fernando Lopez

Fernando Lopez

Program Director, True Value
Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago
Kat Maka

Kat Maka

Operations Coordinator
McGaw YMCA MetaMedia
Sarita Smith

Sarita Smith

Director, Youth Initiatives
MetaMedia-McGaw YMCA
George Colone

George Colone

Club Director, Pedersen-McCormick
Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago
Allen Moore

Allen Moore

Mentor & Tech Guru
McGaw YMCA MetaMedia
Michael Zang

Michael Zang

Program Administrator
McGaw YMCA MetaMedia
Ms. Maye

Ms. Maye

Navigator
McGaw YMCA MetaMedia

Chicago Public Schools

Gerard Kovach

Gerard Kovach

Teacher, McCutcheon Elementary
Patrick Rodrigues

Patrick Rodrigues

Teacher, Goudy Elementary
Pam Brant

Pam Brant

Principal, Goudy Elementary
Bill Yeh

Bill Yeh

Assistant Principal, Goudy Elementary

Current Pedersen-McCormick Mentors

Priscilla Ambrosi

Priscilla Ambrosi

Northwestern University
Neuroscience
Alex Clain

Alex Clain

Northwestern University
Physics
Joe Frumkin

Joe Frumkin

Northwestern University
STEM Education Fellow
Christine Laramy

Christine Laramy

Northwestern University
Chemical Engineering
Suyog Padgaonkar

Suyog Padgaonkar

Northwestern University
Chemistry
Natalia Powers-Riggs

Natalia Powers-Riggs

Northwestern University
Chemistry
Kacper Skakuj

Kacper Skakuj

Northwestern University
Chemistry
David VanDerway

David VanDerway

Northwestern University
Biology
Elizabeth Berg

Elizabeth Berg

Loyola University
Biology
Lisa Cole

Lisa Cole

Northwestern University
Bio Subgroup Leader
Hannah Gavin

Hannah Gavin

Northwestern University
Biology
Kevin Metcalf

Kevin Metcalf

Northwestern University
Materials Science
Susan Park

Susan Park

Northwestern University
Medicine
Caroline Price

Caroline Price

Northwestern University
Biology
Maggie Swerdloff

Maggie Swerdloff

Northwestern University
Chemistry
George Vo

George Vo

Northwestern University
Hadallia Bergeron

Hadallia Bergeron

Northwestern University
Materials Science
Taylor Dolberg

Taylor Dolberg

Northwestern University
Chemical Engineering
Margaret Hammersley

Margaret Hammersley

Northwestern University
Biomedical Engineering
Kylee Morrison

Kylee Morrison

Northwestern University
Biology
Brett Pepowski

Brett Pepowski

Northwestern University
STEM Education Fellow
Samantha Schaller

Samantha Schaller

Han Teng Wong

Han Teng Wong

Northwestern University
Biology
Ben Bucior

Ben Bucior

Northwestern University
Chemical Engineering
Tom Fauvell

Tom Fauvell

Northwestern University
Chemistry
Lam-Kiu Fong

Lam-Kiu Fong

Northwestern University
Chemistry
Emily Potratz

Emily Potratz

University of Illinois- Chicago
Biology
Laurie Seiwert

Laurie Seiwert

Thermo Fisher Scientific
Zach Urbach

Zach Urbach

Northwestern University
Chemistry
Jenny Wang

Jenny Wang

Northwestern University

Current True Value Mentors

Anna Arzuaga

Anna Arzuaga

University of Illinois-Chicago
Biology
Claire Gerber

Claire Gerber

Northwestern University
Biology
Amira Kefi

Amira Kefi

University of Illinois-Chicago
Biological Engineering
James Marks

James Marks

University of Illinois-Chicago
Pharmacy
Arienne Rodriguez

Arienne Rodriguez

Northwestern University
Biology
Jessica Cleary

Jessica Cleary

University of Illinois - Chicago
Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy
Sneha Gummuluri

Sneha Gummuluri

University of Illinois-Chicago
Biology
Mia Krout

Mia Krout

University of Illinois-Chicago
Chemistry
Kelly Anne Marshall

Kelly Anne Marshall

Northwestern University
Neurobiology
Brian SanFransico

Brian SanFransico

Navigant
Biology
Yijuan Du

Yijuan Du

Northwestern University
Neuroscience
Kana Hamada

Kana Hamada

University of Illinois-Chicago
Biology
Jacob Lewis

Jacob Lewis

Northwestern University
Engineering
Sezen Meydan

Sezen Meydan

University of Illinois-Chicago
Pharmacy
Seema Sheoran

Seema Sheoran

University of Illinois-Chicago
Biology
Tanja Florin

Tanja Florin

University of Illinois-Chicago
Biomolecular Science
Ramiah Jacks

Ramiah Jacks

Loyola University
Biology
Isabel Ojeda

Isabel Ojeda

University of Illinois-Chicago
Biomolecular Sciences

Current Family Focus Mentors

Andrea d'Aquino

Andrea d'Aquino

Northwestern University
Chemistry
Sasha Ebrahimi

Sasha Ebrahimi

Northwestern University
Chemistry
Matt O'Brien

Matt O'Brien

Northwestern University
Chemistry
Shannon Brady

Shannon Brady

Northwestern University
Biology
Kevin Gallagher

Kevin Gallagher

Northwestern University
Global Development Policy Center
Saya Dennis

Saya Dennis

Northwestern University
Biology
Tori Larsen

Tori Larsen

Northwestern University
Jennifer Distefano

Jennifer Distefano

Northwestern University
Materials Science
Kevin Nyberg

Kevin Nyberg

Northwestern University
Biology

Current MetaMedia Mentors

Nancy Rivera Bolanos

Nancy Rivera Bolanos

Northwestern University
Jonathan Schultz

Jonathan Schultz

Northwestern University
Physical Chemistry
Ha-Kyung Kwon

Ha-Kyung Kwon

Northwestern University
Material Science
Eitan Schechtman-Drayman

Eitan Schechtman-Drayman

Northwestern University
Reem Rashid

Reem Rashid

Northwestern University
Biomolecular Engineering
Ranya Virk

Ranya Virk

Northwestern University
Biology
Deirdre Regan

Deirdre Regan

Northwestern University

PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS

McGaw YMCA MetaMedia logoFamily Focus logo

OUR SUPPORTERS

Science Club is also generously supported by private individuals and anonymous donors.

We are grateful for lab materials, supplies and in-kind donations provided by ThermoFisher Scientific, Becton Dickenson, and Northwestern Labs.

Science in Society is a Northwestern University center dedicated to science education and public engagement. We want to level the playing field for Chicago and Evanston’s underserved youth.  Our focus is to develop sustainable educational initiatives that deliver proven results for groups that need us most.The Center runs several science education programs – including Science Club — serving youth from grades 2-12 across Chicagoland.
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