Sparking an interest in science doesn’t just happen inside the Science Center. This summer, as part of the Summertime Science program, teens in the Science Center’s Youth Exploring Science Program brought pop-up STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) activities focusing on space and flight to several corners of the St. Louis community.
Visitors to a number of local parks from Suson Park up to St. Vincent Park may have glimpsed teens in the YES Program’s Aerospace component engaging the community with an assortment of space- and flight-themed STEAM activities.
With pop-up events throughout July and August, YES Teens helped park visitors of all ages explore anything from the massive scale of the solar system and the exoplanets beyond, to nutrition and the foods that astronauts eat, to demonstrations on how to use a telescope.
Undoubtedly the biggest draw for some, however, was the chance to learn about flying a drone. With nets set up, the YES Teens guided kids and their families on how to operate a remote controlled drone and demonstrated concepts related to aerospace and the forces of flight.
By delivering science experiences out in the community, the Science Center and the YES Program are able to engage new audiences and reach more people to ignite and sustain lifelong science and technology learning.
The YES Teens also worked with community partner organizations to give even more members of the community the chance to get hands-on with STEAM.
This summer, the YES Teens in the Aerospace component brought their drone flying and space activities to a number of community partners, including Gene Slay’s Boys & Girls Club and Fairground Park Camp Sunsplash, in addition to summer camps through the Kirkwood Parks & Recreation Department, University City, and Ryan Hummert Memorial Park.
(Science Center guests didn’t miss out, though. The YES Teens also help pop-up demonstrations outside the Oakland Building.)
Summertime Science and the Youth Exploring Science Program’s pop-up STEAM activities play an important part in the mission of the Science Center. By delivering science experiences out in the community, the Science Center and the YES Program are able to engage new audiences and reach more people to ignite and sustain lifelong science and technology learning.
Through July and August’s pop-up activities and community programs, the YES Teens in the Aerospace Component were able to connect close to 300 members of our community with these important STEAM fields.
A special thank you to Boeing Corporation for their generous grant supporting this year’s Summertime Science programs.
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?
