Words by Sydney Lester and Nick Holden, photos by Meredith Lawrence
From July 7 through August 9, 86 students who attend public middle schools in Boston, Cambridge and Lawrence, Mass., participated in science and engineering enrichment at MIT through the five-week Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Summer Institute, a component of the STEM Program offered by the MIT Office of Engineering Outreach Programs (OEOP).
Sixteen instructors, all of whom are undergraduates, taught the students in eight subject areas. Rising sixth graders studied biology and algebra, rising seventh graders studied chemistry and physics, rising eighth graders studied probability and statistics and engineering design, and rising ninth graders studied pre-calculus and robotics. The instructors worked closely with expert mentors to prepare their curricula, and academic advisors provided additional student and instructional support.
A primary goal of the program – which is offered free of charge due to generous support from individuals, foundations, corporations and MIT – is to empower local students with the skills and confidence needed for future success in technical careers.
Probability and Statistics Instructor Mia Bernardino, a civil engineering major at Seattle University, values the STEM Program’s focus on students from underrepresented and underserved backgrounds. “I really want to inspire minority students to work in the STEM field,” she says. “There are not many women in the civil engineering field, or engineering in general. I want to be an example for other young women, to show that they can be like me one day and teach others.”