AWARD YEAR: 2021

KINETIC MINDS INCORPORATED

DIRECTOR: ESKABONNA ENRIQUE HENDERSON

PROJECT TITLE: JUNIOR SCIENTIST ACADEMY: BUILDING S.T.E.M. SKILLS INTO CAREERS

Kinetic Minds, Inc. is partnering with Wayne Community College (WCC) and the Housing Authority of the City of Goldsboro (HACG) to provide STEM programming to underrepresented populations that include girls, minorities, economically disadvantaged and students with disabilities. The Junior Scientist Academy (JSA) is an opportunity for students to build STEM skills through hands-on challenges that will translate into career readiness. Through the JSA, students will achieve: (1) improvement in science and mathematics, (2) a deeper passion and joy for science and mathematics through facilitated learning challenges, and (3) heightened interest in pursuing a science related career and/or a career in research. This program will recruit rising 5th – 9th graders from February to May 2022 based upon 7 criteria for participation. The Program Director and Program Coordinator will hold orientation sessions in June 2022 and provide a handbook to each student participant and their families. JSA instructors will contact their JSA students and interact with them through live sessions in VEDAMO in June 2022. In July 2022, participants will attend three weeks of summer camp focusing on three core components: engineering, coding, and life science. All the student activities will involve hands-on lessons that challenge participants to problem-solve, work in groups, and improve math and science competency. During camp, the students will hear from WCC Instructors to connect with real scientists and learn about the WCC academic programs in the three areas. JSA students will also begin researching STEM career paths during summer camp and complete their research during the yearlong component. Monthly Saturday academies will begin in September and continue in October, November, January, March, April, and May. December and February will be virtual check in months through VEDAMO and the program web portal. Students will utilize their time in the Saturday academy to continue with more engineering projects, master coding levels, and increase their engagement in the life sciences. A culminating event will occur in May of 2023 open to the public for students to showcase what they accomplished within a year in the JSA program.

< Back to Grant Recipients