Support science for our future. Make a gift to the Science Center’s YES Program to help support the Science Center’s education programs.
This summer, the Youth Exploring Science (YES) Program’s Agriscience component has been heading out to inspire curiosity for nature in both the YES Teens and the local St. Louis community. Busy immersing themselves in the outdoors and bringing along members of the St. Louis community as well, the YES Teens have been leading nature hikes and a variety of activities that encourage 21st century skills and share the benefits of being out in nature.
The Agriscience component—one of seven STEM components in the YES Program—explores the intersection of health and nature, allowing YES Teens and community members served by the Science Center’s network of community partners to explore plants and the outdoors through activities related to gardening, nutrition, and access to nature. YES Teens also learn about careers and technology in the growing field of agriscience.
This year, as part of their time outdoors, the YES Teens have been leading a variety of nature activities like hiking, fishing, and canoeing, as well as STEM activities like investigating bugs and insects, categorizing things they encounter as either living or non-living, learning about animal camouflage, and exploring why nature is so beneficial.
Studies have shown that spending time in nature can have positive health benefits, including reducing stress, calming anxiety, and boosting one’s overall mood. Plus, having access to nature and participating in outside activities can also help young people learn important skills like navigation, creative problem solving, and collaboration and teamwork.
YES Teen Abby from the Agriscience component said, “One of my favorite memories from this summer was when I was leading a group of three kids on a nature walk. We were trying to measure temperatures in order to try and find the correct temperature of our group’s chosen reptile (a snake). The kids were just really open and excited. They really wanted to explore and be in nature.”
One of the activities involved how animals use camouflage. Agriscience YES Teen Shakaid said, “We had the kids color an animal, and then we would go outside and hide it for them so they would have to find it scavenger hunt style. Once they found their animal, we had them try and color it again, but this time to better blend in with the environment. Through this activity, the kids learned the importance of animals that can camouflage.”
The YES Program’s Agriscience component has engaged the St. Louis community with a number of impactful STEM education field trips and experiences, including a recent series of visits to the Little Creek Nature Area in the Ferguson-Florissant school district.
There, the YES Teens worked with a group of approximately 15 kids to do nature-focused STEM activities. At the end of the two weeks, the nature area’s supervisors stood up to thank the teens and give them handwritten thank you letters the kids had written.
Show your support for the YES Program.
For 25 years the YES Program has created a legacy of success by working with teens from underserved St. Louis neighborhoods throughout the teens’ high school years to help prepare them for the in-demand STEM careers of the future. STEM programming delivered by the YES Teens at the Science Center and in collaboration with the Science Center’s 60+ community partner organizations typically connects thousands of St. Louis community members with STEM learning each year.
Make a gift and help inspire the next generation of YES Teens.
Your Support
Support from donors, Science Center members, and Supporting-level members is instrumental in helping the Science Center continue offering connections to science for everyone in our region. If you’d like to show additional support for our mission, please consider donating to the Science Center’s Annual Fund, becoming a member, or becoming a Supporting-level member.
Your Impact
Want to learn more about how the Science Center and its supporters are making a difference for STEAM learning in the St. Louis region?
