On June 28th, more than 100 kids from the Boys & Girls club gathered in the gymnasium for an afternoon of experimental projects through Imagine Science. Imagine Science is a partnership between the YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, National 4-H Council, and Girls Inc. The four organizations believe that prolonged, informal exposure to STEM increases a child’s interest and builds a foundation for proficiency through high school and beyond.  

“My hope with this program is that kids get exposure to STEM and see this as career opportunities.” Curt Hazelbaker, CEO and President of the Dallas YMCA explains. “A lot of these kids aren’t going to see anything like this at school or traditional camp so if we can expose them to different things it’s a career opportunity and something they can think about for their future.”  

The program consisted of four different stations that focused on science, technology, math and engineering. Katherine Steffey-Bernstein, Project Manager of Imagine Science Dallas, and volunteers that are STEM ambassadors from the Dallas County Community College District assisted the kids at the various stations. 

According to Imagine Science, by 2022 the U.S. will be short 1 million needed STEM professionals. Too few young people are pursuing STEM careers. However, with days filled with hands on projects like Imagine Science Day, kids quickly transform into problem solvers and innovators without skipping a beat. To find out more about the impact of Imagine Science, click here.