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

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.