NEW YORK HALL OF SCIENCE

Education:nysci creates a broad array of learning opportunities for students, educators, families and communities by inviting learners to explore science concepts and skills in ways that are meaningful to them. The museum provides a wide range of programs and learning pathways for all ages to engage in innovative stem activities that sparks curiosity and fosters creativity and critical thinking skills. Nysci programs help young people to gain stem competencies, learn 21st century skills, and discover pathways to academic and career success in stem-related fields. Through after-school programs and camps, dozens of elementary and middle school students have been exposed to state-of-the-art lab equipment, conducted a variety of science investigations, practiced creative coding and used engineering design skills to create their own solutions to challenges they care about. We have also reached many high school and college students, who participate in experiences that connect them to stem professionals and help them acquire skills necessary to succeed in college and stem careers.nysci also responds to the needs of its local community and our local community school district 24 by coordinating collaborative groups to co-design educational experiences, assess the community's evolving needs and develop new programs. The family advisory committee consisting of local parents and caregivers who provide monthly feedback on a wide range of topics to ensure alignment with community needs. In addition, the museum provides educational opportunities through a wide range of programming such as family workshops, special customized events, parent education courses and teacher professional learning programs. Nysci collaborates with the new york city department of education through the pre-k center that opened on campus in september 2022, providing science coaching to teachers and special programming for the more than 300 families with children enrolled in the school. Nysci co-founded and continues to contribute to the elmhurst corona resource collaborative (ecrc), a cooperative effort of local non-profits and community groups to provide direct services and resources.

Each year approximately 100 young people participate in nysci's signature youth development program, the science career ladder. On average, explainers work at nysci for 2.25 years as museum facilitators, fostering fun and inclusive stem learning by recognizing and guiding visitors' interests, nurturing their curiosity and encouraging agency in approaching stem-based activities, challenges, and questions throughout the museum. They also hold residencies and fellowships with designers, engineers, researchers, and artists to co-create exhibits, programs, online content and engaging activities for nysci's audiences. In the process, explainers acquire communication skills and confidence; stem literacy, knowledge, and habits of mind; and experience with inquiry-based teaching and learning. They engage in the kind of deeper thinking and discovery that is the bedrock for developing the skills, agency and confidence to succeed in college and in the 21st century technology workforce. Over the last three decades, 95 percent of the young people participating in this program have gone on to college, with 70 percent declaring majors in stem. In this year's cohort, 93% resided in queens..