Young Scientists: Help educate the future of STEM!

Young Scientists is an educational outreach program whose purpose is to expose students in underserved schools to the fascinating world of science. This year, we are working with 6th graders at KIPP Austin Collegiate Preparatory and 5th graders at Joslin Elementary School, where we involve students in hands-on experiments and introduce them to new scientific topics.

Abhi Rao (sophomore, Biochemistry/Neuroscience): "Young Scientists is a student-led program whose mission is to inspire scientific curiosity among youth from disadvantaged areas. The joy we see on the kids faces when they hold magnetic slime in their hands or learn about how they could be roller coaster designers-- it's infectious and it keeps us coming back. These kids need us-- many of them are from underprivileged backgrounds and many of them will be the first to go to college in their families. Our mission is to show them that science is something anyone can pursue with the right mindset and curiosity. Donate today to a cause that furthers science education by inspiring future scientists! We hope to provide bigger and better activities, expand our efforts to many schools, and make a difference among youth in our communities. We can't do it without your support!"

Kids Who Code is our other weekly outreach program that partners with a fifth grade class at Joslin Elementary School. In this program, we facilitate interactive group activities to teach the basic computer science concepts. This year, we are able to use Lego Mindstorm robots and synthesizers to provide hands-on coding experience for the students.

Faatima Ovais (sophomore, Biochemistry): "As someone who has been volunteering with Kids Who Code since freshman year, I’ve personally seen how quickly the students we teach eat up whatever we throw their way. They move quickly from one thing to the next and are so eager to learn and work with new things, and this is why continuous funding of our projects, including Young Scientists, is so important! We want these students to stay curious and keep asking questions, and the main way we foster this is by introducing them to new experiments and software bought from our funds. Your donations help us foster tomorrow’s rocket scientists, doctors, computer engineers, you name it!"

Shilpa (freshman, Biology): "As a member of Natural Sciences Council, I am glad and grateful to be part of an organization that is invested in giving back to the community through unique, exciting ways. YS and Kids Who Code are two programs which embody this dedication to service and provide opportunities for young students to creatively explore science. They have the potential to inspire the next generation of STEM professionals and any size contribution can help sustain these programs for the future. " 

Zoe (sophomore, Physics): "As a physics student at UT Austin, I can pursue my fascination with space, stars, and the particles that make up our universe. Through Young Scientists, I’ve had the opportunity to share this exciting world of science and discovery with underserved kids in our community. While we design bottle rockets with them, bake pancakes in the craziest colors, and experimented with tie dye, I can see their energy and excitement for science! My favorite moment was when they were fighting over who could wear the safety goggles and lab coat. Luckily, they figured out how to politely take turns, and the science could continue! Please consider donating so we can inspire this future generation of STEM students, and let the science continue!"

Vaishnav (freshman, Computer Science): "Personally, I enjoy going to Young Scientists and Kids Who Code because of each kid’s creativity and willingness to learn from such a young age. Through all the experiments and cool lessons that we put together, we’re able to instantly help their love for learning grow, and this is honestly an unmatched feeling thus far in my college life. On top of this, watching NSC double its number of programs in the past few months has shown me how committed everyone is and what the future holds. You should donate to YS/KWC to help us continue the program at even more schools and provide for tools that would be useful for years to come. To see where your money is going, you can even come volunteer at the program and help create a positive impact on the Austin community!"

Jace (sophomore, Biology): "This semester, I have been given the opportunity to act as an ambassador for Young Scientists and Kids Who Code, programs put on by the Natural Science Council at UT. By donating to this program, you will be giving funds to elementary students in low socioeconomic school districts in need of hands-on STEM education. Sitting around reading textbooks all day might be fun and cheap enough for me, but elementary students love hands-on activities that can get a little pricey. Last semester as a part of the Community Involvement committee, I was able to write-up an awesome lesson about the weather! Check it out here, and consider donating to the future scientists and engineers of the world! https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1qNg9prb3m4B82P_7Fcvw7k4hkbhszuE8eHJ2hk_6CjA/edit?usp=sharing"