Science in Service

Headlines

April 7, 2008 

Sign-up now:
Spring 2008 Science in Service Mentor

 

Spring Theme
Making Sense: The Biology of our Five Senses

 

Questions?  Personalized Science in Service info session:
Contact Program Director Kelly Beck, kbeck@stanford.edu 3-8749

 

What is Science in Service? 

  • Science in Service is a unique collaboration of Stanford students, science and engineering faculty, service-learning educators, and Peninsula community organizations.
  • Science in Service connects Stanford students to youth in our neighboring communities through science mentorship and after-school science clubs, providing students a unique opportunity to learn about and participate in science outreach.

Stanford participants receive training in key techniques for teaching science through mentorship.  Trained students then serve as science mentors to children in after-school programs in East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and Redwood City, with ongoing support from the Science in Service staff. There are opportunities for Stanford students who are new to science outreach as well as students who have previous teaching experience..


The Vision

Stanford’s science and engineering students will be tomorrow’s science and engineering leaders.  Through Science in Service students develop leadership skills, personal experience in civic engagement, the ability to communicate science to non-scientists, and a commitment to improving science education opportunities for k-12 students.  At the same time, Science in Service brings science content enrichment to children who may not have access to positive and fun science experiences.  Additionally, the children make personal connections to college science students, to young scientists.

 

Outcomes and Goals

  • Participating Stanford students gain skills and experiences that are vital to sustaining their personal interest in their own science studies
  • Community youth have positive science learning experiences that help to build a more scientifically engaged citizenry
  • Develop leadership in and commitment to public service among college science students
  • Promote educational equity in science for students of color and students of differing socioeconomic status

 

The Details

Student Positions

Mentors

Science in Service Mentors guide 2nd-8th grade age students through a hands-on science activity weekly.  Once a week each mentor goes to a Boys & Girls Clubhouse with a group of 5 to 10 other Science in Service mentors, where each mentor works with 2 or 3 children. 

Who:Any student who has wants to share science with young people; no prior experience is necessary

When: One 2 ¼ -hour mentoring session per week, weekday afternoons 3-6pm

Commitment: Minimum commitment is 1 quarter, returning Science in Service mentors welcome

How: Complete online sign-up form by posted deadline for the quarter, scienceinservice.stanford.edu

How much: Most mentors volunteer; students with work study can receive work study funding

Details: See full job description

Click here to go to the online sign-up form for spring 2008.

 

Mentor Coordinators

Science in Service Coordinators are student leaders in the program.  They are mentors to the mentors.  The coordinators receive advanced training in science outreach, teaching techniques, public service, and civic leadership.  They also visit and become familiar with community partners (after-school center or school).  The coordinators lead the Science in Service mentor teams at the Boys & Girls Clubs.  Their responsibilities include working with the program director to review and adapt science activities, teaching the activities to the volunteer mentors, going to the community site to participate in science mentoring, and helping the volunteer mentors develop their teaching skills at the community site. 

Who: Students who have previous experience in teaching science to children or youth mentorship; prior Science in Service mentors preferred

Commitment: One academic year, ~ 8 hours/week

How: Applications available late winter to be mentor coordinators in the following academic year

How much: Coordinators receive hourly salary, ~$12/hour

Training

Stanford science and engineering students are mentored by the Haas Center’s Science in Service Director in best practices for communicating science and principles of effective service.  Science in Service students in turn are science mentors to children in the community.  The two-part training includes

  • A pre-service workshop in which the students receive an orientation to the program, our community partner, and an introduction to methods for teaching science through mentorship (~2 ¼ hours)
  • Weekly on-site, on-the-job training in teaching science based on an apprenticeship model

 

Community Partners

The Boys & Girls Club of the Peninsula (BGCP) is our current community partner.  Science in Service has partnered with BGCP since 2003-04.  The children who attend the BGCP are from communities that are ethnically and economically diverse.  Approximately 100 young people are mentored by Stanford’s Science in Service mentors for approximately 18 weeks between October and June. Our programs at the Boys & Girls Clubs are known as SuperStars!

 

SuperStar! at the Boys & Girls Club of the Peninsula


Additional Information

To sign-up for regular email announcements of upcoming workshops and deadlines, send email to kbeck@stanford.edu
Put the text “subscribe to SciServ" in subject line

Contact program director, Kelly Beck , by email or phone with any questions
kbeck@stanford.edu, 723-8749


Science in Service was founded in partnership with the Stanford Solar Observatories Group with funds from NASA and continues to be sponsored by the Stanford Solar Observatories group.

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