The Blog Is Back!
Message from our Executive Director - STEM Makes the World Merry & Bright
The holiday season is upon us! You can see and hear it already. After the past 18 months, we need the joy and wonder of the holidays more than ever. And it will be extra special this year because families, young and old, can gather together more safely. Decades of research and progress have enabled science to deliver this most cherished gift. While it will take time for full recovery, the delivery of highly effective vaccines, therapeutics, rapidly increasing knowledge, and technology-driven strategies are enabling society to manage the pandemic at a revolutionary pace.
Our Science Center team is celebrating with fun, educational holiday experiences for families and children. We have recently launched the annual Winter Wonder Lab experience at the Children's Science Center Lab for weekend and holiday family timed-entry visits. This season, we are also offering both holiday STEM kits for gift-giving and virtual camps for the school break. Beyond the walls of the Lab, we are working with corporate and community partners to provide in-person, virtual, and kit experiences and ensure that interactive, hands-on STEM learning opportunities reach more children in our community.
Thank you to the generous supporters who make our mission possible every day. This year we celebrate that Science Brings Possibilities for a better world for families, children, and communities across the globe!
Nene Spivy
The Blog is Back!
After a several-month hiatus, the volunteer blog is back! A few changes have happened in the time we've been gone. First and foremost, our volunteer coordinator, Kara Pascale, has accepted a new job with Loudoun County Schools. We wish her all the best in her new position! Attempting to fill Kara's shoes are two new staff members, Audra and Erick. Keep on reading to meet the new members of the team!
Meet Your New Volunteer Coordinator!
Hello! My name is Audra Erickson. I joined the Science Center as the Volunteer Program Coordinator on October 18th. I have had a passion for museums and informal education since high school, when I worked at a museum in my hometown of Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Ever since then, I have made it a priority to stay involved in the world of museums, and I now have experience volunteering at the Smithsonian's National Zoo, the New Mexico Museum of Space History, and the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus, Ohio. I'm so excited to now be on the staff side of volunteering.
My husband, Brian, and I have a 1-year-old son named Bo. On weekends you can find the three of us getting coffee and donuts and checking out the trails around Fairfax County.
As more volunteer opportunities become available, I'm excited to meet more of you! I am looking forward to answering your questions and hearing your feedback about the volunteer program, so please don't hesitate to reach out to me at audraerickson@childsci.org.
Meet Your New Youth Development Program Coordinator!
Hello my name is Erick Fortiz. I was born in El Salvador, but raised in sunny Fort Myers, FL. I graduated from Santa Fe College in Gainesville, FL with a Bachelor's of Applied Science in Organizational Management. Being from Florida it's no surprise that one of my favorite things to do is go to theme parks. I am a huge fan of Disney as well as Universal Studios. I will talk about them for hours if I could. I love to travel. I try to visit one new state every year, if not more. I also love food. I would consider myself a foodie. When I travel, I like to explore new cuisines and cultures. I am a big fan of movies, except horror movies (even though I love haunted houses). I am the type of person that will go to a movie theatre by themselves and be happy with my giant slushee. I am excited to join the team here at the Science Center.
As the Youth Development Program Coordinator, I will be working closely with our Programs Manager, Sue Fajer, to develop and implement our current and future internship opportunities. We hope to continue to provide unique opportunities that inspire a love of STEM learning. Additionally, I also am working as a STEM educator, helping out with various programs and Lab operations. You can reach me at erickfortiz@childsci.org.
COVID-19 Volunteer Update
The Children's Science Center Lab is now open for certain programs as well as every weekend to guests at a reduced capacity through two timed-entry sessions. Our community events are also beginning to return! Volunteer opportunities are still very limited, but more options are becoming available. If you want to volunteer right now, you can sign up for a Family Science Night! Many Family Science Nights are still virtual, but some are happening in person. A few schools require volunteers to show proof of vaccination or have a recent negative COVID test. If you sign up for a Family Science Night, a staff member will reach out to you if this is required for the event you are working.
In the meantime, we are working with staff to find more ways to utilize your time. You can check the volunteer portal for updates, and new opportunities will also be announced in this monthly volunteer blog. If you're looking for ways to stay involved until more opportunities open, volunteers are always encouraged to follow our social media channels and share our posts. You can also subscribe to the Children's Science Center Lab monthly newsletter and forward it on to friends and family!
The volunteer team appreciates your time with past volunteer events, and your patience while the Lab remained virtual throughout 2020. We look forward to welcoming you as future engaged volunteers as opportunities return. Do not hesitate to contact us at volunteer@childsci.org if you have any questions.
Six Volunteers Selected for The President's Volunteer Service Award
Six of our young adult volunteers were recently awarded the President's Volunteer Service Award for the hours they have given to the Children's Science Center Lab. From June 2020 through May 2021 each of these volunteers provided over 100 service hours to our organization inspiring the love of STEM in Northern Virginia children and families. The President's Volunteer Service Award was founded in 2003 by the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation to
"recognize the important role of volunteers in America's strength and national identity. This award honors individuals whose service positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation and inspires those around them to take action, too. Led by AmeriCorps and managed in partnership with Points of Light, the program allows certified organizations to recognize their most exceptional volunteers."
Below is the list of award recipients and the programs with which they volunteer:
- Gitali Bhanot - Summer Camp Intern, Winter Camps
- Justin Burke - Youth Advisory Board
- Medha Gaddam - Summer Camp Intern, Latina SciGirls
- Carolin Kiewel - Youth Advisory Board
- Ananya Malipeddi - Summer Lab Intern, Youth Advisory Board
- Dhyaaneshvaran Ravichandran - Summer Camp Intern
Volunteering over 100 hours in a year with the Children's Science Center Lab is incredible with all of the other activities and responsibilities students have in a year. We are grateful that these outstanding young people chose the Science Center to support. Congratulations!
