Letters to a Pre-Scientist
Letters to a Pre-Scientist (LPS) is a non-profit organization that works with middle-school students in low-income areas (where >60% of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch) to demystify STEM careers. Every student in a participating classroom is matched with a scientist pen-pal with whom they exchange letters over the course of the year.
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I have been a pen pal for LPS since 2017 and on the Advisory Board -- a group of scientists, educators, and many other individuals who help support, evaluate, and develop the LPS program -- since 2018. In July 2023, I joined the Board of Directors.
I absolutely love this program for the opportunity it provides for one-on-one student communication that lasts a whole year. Each letter is individual and unique to the student and gives the student a chance to talk to someone outside their community about school, college, and science.
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One of the most significant ways you can make an impact is by making a donation.
For just $6/mo, you can completely cover the cost of one student's participation in the program for a whole year!
For just $6/mo, you can completely cover the cost of one student's participation in the program for a whole year!
Other Organizations
Some other great organizations that I have worked with in the past at Northwestern, UC Berkeley, and beyond that I highly recommend include:
- Science with Seniors: Led by the Science Policy Outreach Task Force (SPOT) at Northwestern, Science with Seniors educates seniors - one of the most dedicated voting demographics - around Evanston and Chicago on various science topics.
- Skype a Scientist: Matches scientists with classrooms across the globe to participate in a Skype session. Students are able to ask the scientist questions about whatever they want!
- Techbridge Girls: Hosts a variety of STEM programs, including the Expanding Your Horizons conference series, which has local chapters in Chicago and UC Berkeley