Message from our Executive Director - Women Rock STEM
In case you haven't seen it yet, there are 120 visible symbols of women excelling in STEM on display this month in Washington, D.C. It's hard to miss the bright orange, 3D printed, life-sized statues of women. I felt like I won the golden ticket when I walked into the opening night reception for the IF/THEN Exhibition at the Smithsonian Arts & Industries building last week, where not only did I see all of these amazing statues, but met many of the IF/THEN ambassadors. I was struck by how inspiring these women are, not only in their fields, but also in their great passion for engaging young women to follow in their footsteps.
I am enormously proud that the Science Center is playing a role in the great work of IF/THEN. We received a grant last fall to create IF/THEN trading cards, featuring many of the women in the exhibition along with other local STEM champions that we work with. We give out decks of these cards to youth we work with in programs like Latina SciGirls and beyond. I'm proud of the Science Center and how the museum industry has embraced many more IF/THEN projects.
Please visit www.ifthencollection.org to access a fantastic library of resources that you or your favorite educators can use. We can all be part of the #ifthenshecan movement!
Nene Spivy
New Internship Applications Now Open
Two internship applications and the application for our Youth Advisory Board were released at the end of February. Please share this information with high school students whom you think would be interested!
Youth Advisory Board
2022-2023 and 2023-2024 School Years
The Children's Science Center's Youth Advisory Board is made up of Northern Virginia high school students who volunteer, collaborate, and create programs that contribute to the Children's Science Center's goal of inspiring a love of STEM. The board meets once a month, and all members serve a two-year term. In addition to the projects developed for the Science Center, the members volunteer at community events and at the Children's Science Center Lab at Fair Oaks Mall. Rising freshmen through rising junior high school students are eligible to apply.
Students interested in applying to become a member of the Youth Advisory Board for the two-year term starting August 2022 should complete the application and upload their resume using the Google form. The completed application and resume are due by April 1, 2022.
STEM Summer Camp Internship
Summer 2022
The STEM Camp Internship is available to students ages 16+ who have an interest in STEM education. They will work closely with elementary aged students conducting hands-on STEM activities. Interns also can develop their own STEM programming for camp students. Applications are due by 5:00pm on April 11, 2022.
STEM Youth Development Internship
Summer 2022
The STEM Youth Development Internship is available to high school students ages 16+ who have a passion for STEM learning. They will be able to develop and practice professional skills at the Children's Science Center Lab while engaging in various hands-on activities. Candidates must be underrepresented in STEM (see application for more details). Applications are due by 5:00 pm on April 11, 2022.
Questions? Contact internships@childsci.org.
Community Spirit & Fun
Congratulations to the Northwest Federal Credit Union team for being named the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce Community Leadership Award winner in the large business category! Cheers to Jeff Bentley, President and CEO of Northwest Federal Credit Union, a Pivotal Partner of the Northern Virginia Science Center, who accepted the award. A special spotlight on our executive director, Nene Spivy, and Lisa Max Kimball (board member) for their nominations for nonprofit executive leader, and to Monti Mercer (member of our STEM Advisory Council), who was a young professional leader nominee. It was a fun evening of community celebration and spirit!
Jeff Bentley & Nene Spivy
Volunteer Update
We are in the final steps of approval and design to restart volunteer orientations this spring. We are also making some slight changes to the structure and policies of the volunteer program. We will keep you updated through this blog and on the volunteer portal as these new policies take effect.
We also have more and more opportunities available to volunteers each month. We have enjoyed seeing some familiar volunteer faces at the Lab and events again after so long!
Volunteer Need
We need a one-time volunteer for our Latina SciGirls program this Friday, March 25 from 3:45-6:15 PM at Barcroft Elementary in Arlington. Latina SciGirls is a program that offers STEM-focused classes created for Latinas in grades 3-5 to connect them with role models and hands-on engagements. The volunteer would assist with a STEM activity and managing supplies while a Science Center team member leads the lesson. Volunteers must be at least 16. Spanish-speaking skills are a plus, but not a requirement. If you're interested in volunteering for this opportunity on Friday, look for the opportunity called "Latina SciGirls - Spring 2022" on the volunteer portal.
Galaxy Digital Tip
Most blogs include short tips on using our volunteer portal, Galaxy Digital. These will usually be inspired by questions we've received from volunteers. Do you have a Galaxy Digital question? Let us know at volunteer@childsci.org.
Signing the Legal Waiver
If you've created an account on Galaxy Digital but you find that you're not able to see any opportunities, it is likely that you haven't signed your legal waiver. You can fix this very easily! After you log in, click on the "Qualification Needed" button, and the site will walk you through it. If you are under 18, your parent/guardian will also need to sign your legal waiver before you can sign up for opportunities. They will receive an automatic email after you have completed the process of signing the legal waiver yourself. They must click the link in the email to sign the waiver before it can be considered complete.
