Program Impact

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Learner participating in the Be an Astrobiologist via North Penn Valley Boys and Girls Club.

Program Goals For Children 

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 program aims to do this by providing opportunities for children to: 

• Embody science careers. Role-play and imagination are important ways that children practice skills and learn to identify with careers and roles. Science in the Summer activities invite children to take on the role of different scientists by framing each activity with a storyline that provides real-world context for the phenomena they are investigating through that career. 
• Think scientifically. The program’s activities encourage children to recognize and develop scientific practices such as asking questions, making observations and predictions, and drawing conclusions from evidence. 
• Have fun! The program focuses on creating memorable, engaging science experiences rather than acquiring new science knowledge. Creating moments of excitement and connections to children’s everyday experience helps build positive attitudes and confidence in science and STEM careers. 

Program Goals For Educators and Informal Institutions 

The goal for educators is to build confidence and skills to facilitate high-quality informal STEM experiences for youth. 

The goal for informal institutions is to build the capacity to engage children from backgrounds currently underrepresented in STEM fields by leveraging and sustaining partnerships with community-based organizations. TFI supports organizations to fold the program into their existing structures.

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A total of 4,446 youth in the Philadelphia-area participated in a free field trip to The Franklin Institute as part of the Science in the Summer program.

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Learner participating in the Be a Planetary Geologist activity via Chester County Intermediate Unit 21st Century Learning.

• 94% of educators agreed that the Be a Physicist! program helped youth learn more about science.  

“…how much the children loved the program and were excited to learn about science and seeing their confidence grow 
as they did the program. All of the amazing answers and problem-solving skills they demonstrated. Being able to connect 
with families in the community and foster a love of science.” 
- 2024 Educator

• 94% of educators found that the Be a Physicist! program increased youth’s confidence and excitement around doing science. 

I've talked to a couple of kids who went through the three different lessons that we did and it was after the fact and they said, 
‘Oh, I loved this. Now I'm really excited about this specific topic!’ And we continue to do space programming and I've 
definitely used some of the lessons and they come in and they're like, ‘I know how to do this, let me show you.’ 
– 2024 National Educator

• 92% of educators agreed that the Be a Physicist! program increased youth’s awareness of science-related careers. 

[“Be a Space Scientist”] opened up careers and opportunities to explore different things that [the students] didn't know about. 
It was a dialogue where they can say, well, I didn't know that astronauts or engineers did all of that. And then it moved into 
creating literacy around that, where the kids could read books on different topics and titles that we incorporated in, in 
integrated into the curriculum with them.
 – 2024 Philadelphia-area Participant

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Learners participating in the Be an Astrobiologist activity via Young Achievers Learning Center.

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Educator participating in the Be a Space Scientist! training.

What is Science in the Summer’s impact on EDUCATORS?

All educators delivering Science in the Summer programming are trained by The Franklin Institute staff or an organizational coordinator who has been trained by TFI. TFI offers asynchronous, interactive training units that orient the educators to the curriculum as well as facilitation techniques. TFI also hosts in-person hands-on trainings for Philadelphia-area participants. Once trained, educators receive all materials and content needed to deliver the program, as well as on-going support from TFI and their host organization.

• 90% of educators said they are more comfortable teaching STEM topics after implementing the program.

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 [Science in the Summer] in things outside of that and using what I 
learn outside of it and applying it in [Science in the Summer]. 
– 2024 Educator

• 83% of educators indicated they are more personally engaged and interested in facilitating STEM topics after implementing the program.

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 [Science in the Summer] in things outside of that and using what I 
learn outside of it and applying it in [Science in the Summer]. 
– 2024 Educator

I think the training at the facility is probably one of my favorite things. Because it's just hospitable. You get 
to see all the experiments in person and be able to act like the children that you're going to be teaching 
and get a chance to play with it yourself and figure out how it works, and it gets you excited about it. 
And when you're excited about it, then being able to share that enthusiasm with the kids and youth that 
come to your sessions is, is really, really nice. 
– 2024 Philadelphia-area Participant

• 70% of educators said they have increased confidence in encouraging youth to think scientifically. Before the program started, only 39% of educators rated themselves confident in this area.

The emphasis on process rather than product is a refreshing way to approach STEM, especially because 
science experiments often “go wrong” when working with kids. 
– 2024 Educator

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Educator participating in the Be a Space Scientist! training.

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Learners participating in the Be a Planetary Geologist activity via Young Achievers Learning Center.

What is Science in the Summer’s impact on participating ORGANIZATIONS?

Science in the Summer participants are part of a network of organizations that receive professional development, training support, and the physical materials to support the program curriculum. Organizations collaborate with local community partners toward the goal of providing equitable STEM experiences in their communities.

• National and Philadelphia-area organizations both noted that they incorporate the Be a Space Scientist! and other GSK Science in Summer curricula in their everyday school year programming.

We continue our summer curriculum into the fall. We mimic some of the things that we used best that was 
best practices and we were able to continue using it. Our curriculum is based on having a whole STEM day 
for the afterschool program where the kids just come in and it's just all about them creating and designing
and getting their hands dirty in the way that they like. So, we're continuing what we learned from the training 
and we're continually using the program. 
– 2024 Philadelphia-area Participant

• One participating Philadelphia-area organization noted that one of their partner sites won a local award for outstanding Out of School Time programming in large part due to the Be a Space Scientist curricula and training.

What stood out to the award committee was that Science in the Summer didn't feel like school. It felt like a camp. 
It felt like kids coming in wanting to explore and design and create, and they were able to do just that.’

• Organizations note that the GSK Science in the Summer program enables them to reach more youth over time.

Overall, this program has really grown and we've loved to be a part of it. We started with a smaller site visit 
amount and now we're reaching, this past year we reached over 1200 students and it wouldn't be possible 
without the funding from the Franklin Institute. 
– 2024 National Participant

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Learners participating in the Be a Rocket Engineer activity via SiskiyouWorks.