Thanks, Mary! We are really proud of what our students have achieved.

The Chicago Public Schools District administration and some high school teachers are aware of our program, but we do not directly influence curriculum at this time. It's a good idea, though! 

Thanks, Noah! I would say our unique assets are our living collection and our staff scientists who are willing to mentor students. Where many museums work with students to become "explainers" on a museum floor, we have been able to  put students into real science research and get a feel for what it would be like to pursue science as a career. Another asset is our connections with other organizations that share our environmental goals. These partners enable us to bring social justice issues into the learning experience in a powerful and meaningful way.

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Thanks, Molly! Our program is for high school students, but we do channel a few qualified alumni who are undergrads into the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program in our science department. These undergrads actually work with some of our high school students so that there is a "near peer" mentorship opportunity, which we hope fosters community and encourages students to continue on their STEM pathway.

Great! Thanks so much for the response. The reason I ask is that we may be looking (pending funding) for partners from museums, herbaria, and botanic gardens to work on some internship programming targeted at undergraduates. I really like that you are integrating your programs by creating near peer mentor opportunities. 

Hi, Rabiah. These are very good questions. Last summer was the first year of this project, so most of our evidence is anecdotal at this point. The projects the students worked on were very strong and the students all expressed passion for the issues they investigated. In other words, we know there is a spark! We are hoping to see how this summer's returning students approach their second year of the program, and find out more about the effect of this program on their lives, and we will asks for annual updates in their academic and career choices, as well as other endeavors, after they graduate from our program.

Hi Beatriz, thank you for the reply! It's great to hear the students were passionate about their projects and it'll be exciting to explore the returning students' experiences since last summer! I missed the longitudinal check-in portion of this project; that should be a nice opportunity to monitor some of these key transition and decision moments. 

Hi, Anne. We accept 60 students (about 20 at each level) and the students come from different schools around Chicago. We don't formally collaborate with teachers on curriculum, but we do see evidence of students bringing the things they learned in our summer program back to school and vice versa. Many students take their summer research and turn it into a science fair project. This year one student's summer project advanced to the Illinois State STEM Exhibition. Over time we have established relationships with some teachers and administrators who help us identify and recruit ideal students for our program.