STEM Matters NYC, a NYC Department of Education (DOE) program, will offer free educational STEM programs for students in kindergarten-grade 8 during spring break.
The program will run daily 9am-3pm during the break, which is Monday, April 10-Friday, April 14 this year. Programs will be on site at various cultural institutions throughout the city, including:
- The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
- The Central Park Zoo
- MakerSpace NYC
- New York Botanical Garden
- The Queens Museum
- The Staten Island Museum, based at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden
The programs aren’t just about learning—they’re about having fun, too. Kids will have a great time discovering, investigating, designing and creating with friends and peers all week long. Whether your child is interested in animal science, marine biology, mechanics or other subjects, there’s something for every kid throughout the week.
How To Apply To STEM Matters NYC
The deadline to apply is Friday, Feb. 10. The program is open to NYC public school students, including those enrolled in charter schools and homeschool. It’s free, but parents must apply first in order for their child to be accepted. An application can be accessed online. If selected, the student must attend the program every day.
Participants are selected via lottery and preference is given to students who attend Title I schools.
Importance of STEM Education
STEM is short for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This type of education engages students in asking questions and solving problems related to the world around them, according to the DOE’s website.
“Using the engineering-design process, students identify problems, design possible solutions, and test and evaluate those solutions,” the site reads. “This process, combined with the study of math and science, helps students to find connections that make science, math, and technology relevant to their lives.”
For more information about STEM education or STEM Matters NYC, visit the DOE’s website at schools.nyc.gov.
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