Community Education and Service-Learning Initiative

Cambridge School Volunteers (CSV) CSV is the private, non-profit agency that recruits, trains, places, and supports volunteers in the Cambridge Public Schools, grades K-12. At the K-5 level, volunteers serve as one-to-one and small group tutors, classroom and library assistants, early math and literacy tutors, and more. After-school homework helpers are always needed at the five middle schools serving students in grades 6 through 8. At the Cambridge Rindge & Latin School (CRLS, the city's public high school), volunteers provide one-to-one tutoring before, during and after-school, as well as classroom assistance, Science Olympiad advising, college planning and essay writing help, and more. At the high school, there is a biotech program, AP Bio and Chem classes, as well as other possibilities like assisting with our College Mentoring program for students, primarily first generation, going through the application process. For over 48 years, volunteers have helped thousands of Cambridge students with almost every subject. Tutors, especially in math and science, are always needed. Contact Information: www.csvinc.org csv@cpsd.us

The Health Professions Recruitment & Exposure Program (HPREP) at Harvard Medical School is a high school science enrichment program aimed at recruiting high school students from the Boston area into science and medicine. The program is augmented by labs, presentations, and workshops given by faculty and students to provide information about scientific and medical careers. Learn more here.

HMS MEDscience is an innovative Biology course immersing high school students in simulated medical emergencies to build their 21st century skills and expose them to STEM careers. They teach anatomy and physiology in a hands-on, experiential way utilizing simulated medical emergencies to provide an immersive learning experience. Their curriculum is split into medical cases and clinical or laboratory skills which encourages critical thinking, effective communication, problem solving, and teamwork. They make learning more engaging through hands-on, student-led activities that in turn boost students' confidence. HMS MEDscience offers semester programs with partner schools, week-long summer programs, and shorter module courses.  To learn more, read their website: https://www.hmsmedscience.org 

The Journal of Emerging Investigators (JEI) is an open-access journal that publishes original research in the biological and physical sciences written by middle and high school students.  JEI provides students, under the guidance of a teacher or advisor, the opportunity to submit and gain feedback on original research and to publish their findings in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. Much of this original work comes from classroom-based projects, science fair projects, or other forms of mentor-supervised research.  Our hope is that JEI will serve as an exciting new forum to engage young students in a novel kind of science education that nurtures the development and achievements of young scientists throughout the country.  You can read more details on their website: https://emerginginvestigators.org 

About PGED

Personal Genetics Education & Dialogue (PGED) is a public engagement and education organization based in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School. Since 2006, PGED has worked with educators, scientists, faith leaders, Hollywood storytellers, and more to create resources and learning experiences for a variety of audiences about genetics and society. With a mission to promote awareness and dialogue about emerging genetic technologies across communities, PGED brings personal relevance and social impact to conversations about genetics.

Science Club for Girls (SCFG) fosters excitement, confidence, and literacy in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) for girls and gender-expansive youth from underrepresented communities by providing free, experiential programs and by maximizing meaningful interactions with women-in-STEM mentors. Learn more here.

Science in the News is a Graduate Student Group at the Harvard Graduate School of the Arts and Sciences that aims to bridge the communication gap between scientists and non-scientists. We accomplish this by providing free seminars, lessons, social events, and written material on varying science topics for the general public. We provide science PhD students the chance to hone their communication skills by hosting these events and by giving feedback on their presentations and articles. Learn more here.

SHURP is a ten-week summer program at HMS for college students interested in pursuing a PhD in the life sciences.

Participants will:

• Conduct 10 weeks of paid, scholarly research under the guidance of a faculty member and research mentor
• Participate in weekly career and professional development sessions and science communication sessions
• Meet with peer mentors
• Present a poster presentation at the Leadership Alliance National Symposium
• Present an oral presentation at the conclusion of the program
• Gain a professional network of mentors and peers    

For more information, please see their website:  https://shurp.hms.harvard.edu 

This program is an intensive introduction to research for first-year undergraduate students at Wellesley College. Many of the students who participate in our program are members of underserved communities and have not had access to good lab-based science classes in high school. We aim to provide a low-stakes, fun research experience where students can build confidence and skills in the lab outside of the normal semester instructional structure.