Science on the South Side

Bringing hands-on science programs to five Chicago Public Schools elementary schools.

Our mission

We aim to cultivate the natural curiosity of elementary-school-age students in underserved Chicago communities to help them achieve excellence in the sciences. We are creating an Elementary Science Olympiad (ESO) program within the Chicago Public Schools that will foster after-school science enrichment through exciting, hands-on activities. ESO is a national K-5 program where students compete in academic “events.” This competitive framework makes learning science engaging and develops students’ interpersonal and collaborative skills as they compete in teams.

Through this 2-year plan, our undergraduate- and graduate-student-led team will establish an ESO program by adopting 5 schools and hosting annual showcase competitions. We will design a 15-week curriculum in which we devise lesson plans for each “event” and provide all materials. At each school, we will identify and train a facilitator to lead each lesson. The program will culminate with a showcase competition held at the University of Chicago.

Our story

Co-founders Stephanie Sang and Logan Leak pitched their idea to create elementary Science Olympiad programs in CPS elementary schools as part of their application to attend the Clinton Global Initiative University Conference that was held on the campus of the University of Chicago in fall of 2018. The two attended the conference, and, along with networking with change-makers from around the world and attending useful workshops, received funding from the Resolution Project to launch their initiative starting in the fall of 2019. They have also since received funding from the Dean’s Fund and the Women’s Board at the University of Chicago. During the school year, they also recruited a base of volunteers to serve as the board of the initiative.

The board met weekly during the academic year, and the group focused on two main goals: creating a pilot program during this past academic year and planning for the launch of the main initiative this upcoming fall. The group implemented the pilot program at the University of Chicago Charter Elementary School at North Kenwood/Oakland. After administering pre- and post-surveys, it was evident that the students become more interested in and comfortable with science as a result of the program, serving as a proof-of-concept for the model.

The group is now focused on recruiting five schools to serve as the initial cohort of the program. They are currently accepting applications from CPS elementary schools that might be interested in starting a program. Please email uchicago.eso@gmail.com with any questions or to submit an application, which can be found here.

Project outcomes

Strengthen 5th-6th grade student interest and achievement in science-related topics
Cultivate students’ interpersonal skills and ability to work in a collaborative team setting
Increase the participation rate in middle and high school Science Olympiad programs to empower students to pursue careers in STEM
Model Science Olympiad alumni engagement in universities across the country
Develop pedagogical skills and provide outreach opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students at UChicago