This program was funded by NYC Department of Youth and Community Development through a city council discretionary grant. We were excited to have held a full day of cool hands-on activities at the Center for Science Teaching and Learning (CSTL). There was a live animal shows, naturalist hike, aquatic habitats experience where students explore the freshwater habitats of The Preserve, paleontology activities such as digging for fossils. Families learned about animal adaptations in The Dinosaur! and the Animal Adventure museum experience, came face to face with animals, nature, and hands-on science! 

Programs like these continue to empower parents as learning partners helping them to create more blended and personalized learning to expand on families’ capacities to support children at home and school. We wanted to show families how earning can be an adventure for the entire family outside of the classroom. 

In our Family STEM  program, we were able to enroll 14 families to participate through our community partners. Participant demographic data shows that we had a diverse group of participant families, with 35% 5th graders, 28% 6th graders, 35% 7th graders all who lived within the neighborhood. 50% were Asian, with 50% Hispanic descent. 50% were immigrant families and around 75% are families living below the federal poverty level.

Our first milestone was the completion of our workshop series in May with 14 participant families enrolled totaling 42 individual participants. This trip was the second milestone of our Family STEM program connecting 14 families (Separately unique participants) enrolled, totaling 39 individual participants.

Special thanks

We couldn’t have done it without the help of the following organizations and community partners. Councilman Peter Koo, NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, Center for Science Teaching and Learning, Chinese-American Planning Council School Age Child Care at PS20q, La Jornada NY Food Pantry, One Flushing, and our educators and parent coordinators at East-West  School of International Studies, Rachel Carson Intermediate School 237Q, JHS 189Q Daniel Carter Beard, The Flushing International High School, Edward Bleeker JHS 185, Louis Armstrong Middle School I.S.227, The Nancy DeBenedittis School PS 16Q, P.S./I.S. 226, P.S. 20Q John Bowne Elementary.