Applications open January 2025!

GSK Science in the Summer™ is a free, informal science summer program for children entering grades 2-6. 

Supported by GSK and offered in collaboration with The Franklin Institute, the goal of Science in the Summer is to increase children's interest and confidence in doing science and pursuing STEM careers, especially for children from backgrounds currently underrepresented in STEM fields. The Franklin Institute will support your organization to fold the program into your existing structure and increase your educators’ confidence and skills to lead high-quality STEM programming. 

Join our Philadelphia-area network! Beginning in January 2025, eligible organizations are invited to apply to participate in GSK Science in the Summer™.
 

Program Benefits

Accepted organizations are committing to a five-month program cycle (April to September) and will receive the following benefits for joining the program, including but not limited to:

  • High-quality STEM curriculum and materials for five program activities, including kits of materials, educator guides, lab notebooks, and sticker sheets for youth in grades 2 - 6
  • Professional development and curriculum training for your staff via an in-person training at The Franklin Institute or virtual, asynchronous trainings 
  • A stipend for replenishing materials as necessary and to support field trip transportation costs (if applicable), and other program-related expenses
  • A field trip to The Franklin Institute, including free general admission for program youth and adult chaperones
  • Ongoing technical support from The Franklin Institute program team
     

Program Expectations

  • Identify two staff from your organization who will be responsible for coordination, reporting on deliverables, ongoing communications with the program team, and ensuring your organization meets all program expectations
  • Coordinate all program logistics including materials management, recruitment of local community partners, and tracking attendance
  • Deliver 4 out of the 5 activities of free programming to the approved number of youths in grades 2-6, between June and August.
    • Programs should be delivered in-person by educators trained by The Franklin Institute
       

Who Should Apply?

The Franklin Institute will accept applications from Philadelphia-area organizations that meet the below requirements: 

  • are located in the city of Camden, NJ or the following PA counties: Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia
  • offer programming for youth entering grades 2 – 6 between the months of June 1 – August 30, 2025
  • have educators who are able/willing to be trained to deliver the five-activity curriculum
  • are committed to bringing accessible programs to youth from backgrounds currently underrepresented in STEM fields

Examples of organizations that may apply include community-based organizations (CBOs), out-of-school-time providers (OSTs), after school providers (ASPs) that have summer programming, low-cost or free summer camps, day cares/early childhood service providers, and public-school summer programs.
 

Applications will open January 2025. Instructions to apply will be available on this webpage. Please contact us at scienceinthesummer@fi.edu with questions.

 

Testimonials

The GSK Science in the Summer™ program allowed us to increase our summer engagement, I mean, a million times over. The curriculum that was provided was very accessible both for the students, but also for the educators that were facilitating the activities with the kids. And so, it really helped empower our counselors, our instructors, and our partners who were facilitating the program at their sites.
 – 2023 Partner

Once before it was unimaginable that I could lead and conduct something of this nature.  Now, it's almost second nature, using what I learned in SIS in things outside of that and using what I learn outside of it and applying it in SIS. – 2024 Participant

I wish all of the organizations that I worked with operate the way that [GSK] Science in the Summer™ does. The amount of communication and the accessibility to support from The Franklin [Institute] was and is just immense and immensely helpful. The outline, the structure of the program, the high level of communication. I never felt alone or abandoned or left to the wind. I never had to figure anything out on my own. There was always a resource or a person that was available when I had questions. 
– 2023 Partner 

Planetary play doh

Learner participating in the Be a Planetary Geologist activity from the 2024 Be a Space Scientist! curriculum. 

 

Astrobiologist

Learners participating in the Be an Astrobiologist activity from the 2024 Be a Space Scientist! curriculum.