Why Afterschool?

After school programs provide powerful opportunities for educators and mentors to structure science learning experiences in a way that is flexible and responsive to student interests. After school programs are not limited by structured K-12 curricula, freeing up educators to use hands-on, immersive activities that extend and delve deeper into a topic of interest. A 2003 National Science Foundation report, “New Formulas for America’s Workforce: Girls in Science and Engineering,” summarized the findings of multiple NSF-funded initiatives designed to increase female and minority interest and engagement in science. Techniques proven to engage students included:

• Hands-on activity, using touch, smell, and motion to experience and study the physical world
• Working in cooperative teams, with students helping and showing each other
• Looking at real-world contexts with a scientific eye – chemistry in the home, ecology in the community park, the physics of sports
• An emphasis on personal mastery and confidence through problem-solving
• Exposure to a diverse array of working scientists and engineers, to capture students’ interest and to open their minds to many attractive careers

It is also worth noting that many middle school students receive little science education as part of their daily classroom instruction. This is especially concerning, given recent studies that demonstrate youth science interest in the 8th grade is an important predictor of future careers in science. Thus, informal science activities like Science Club represent an important opportunity for inspiring the next generation of researchers, doctors, and other science professionals.