Project Exploration is a Chicago-based, nationally recognized nonprofit in science education and youth development that addresses inequities in access to high-quality STEM opportunities during out-of-school time. Founded in 1999, this program strives to ensure every Chicago student becomes STEM literate, promotes a diversified STEM workforce in Chicago, and works to serve students who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM.
According to the National Girls Collaborative Project, the disparity for Black adolescent girls in STEM begins early in their education. These girls face systemic barriers, including limited access to quality STEM education and resources, a lack of role models, and pervasive stereotypes that can diminish their interest and confidence in pursuing STEM fields. In Chicago, there is a notable gap in connecting STEM institutions with historically underrepresented communities, especially for adolescent girls. Project Exploration believes that by bridging the gap between STEM organizations and Chicago’s West Side, through programs like the Sisters4Science, they can cultivate a dynamic learning environment, provide young women and girls with comprehensive STEM knowledge, and inspire a new generation of scientists, technologists, engineers, and innovators. The Sisters4Science program provides girls in third to eighth grade with the opportunity to engage in high-quality, hands-on STEM experiences and to develop a STEM identity in a specially curated, low-pressure environment.
The Girls Opportunity Alliance Fund will support Project Exploration’s establishment of the Sisters4Science Design Lab at the Frederick Douglass STEM Learning Center (SLC) to serve 60 middle-to high school-aged girls. This innovative space will be tailored to the unique educational requirements of young women, fostering an environment where they can unravel the intricate bonds between scientific principles and the natural world. The Sisters4Science (S4S) Lab will be a cornerstone of STEM advancement, promoting interdisciplinary learning and encompassing engineering and other scientific disciplines. Sisters4Science aims to create a design lab and holistic STEM haven to empower young minds, enrich communities, and pave the way for a future brimming with scientific promise.
For more information about Project Exploration, please visit the organization’s website and social media pages:
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