The Ivy League Before & After School Program Introduces Mobile STEM Learning Lab to South Chicago Land Schools

The Ivy League Before & After School Program introduces an innovative Mobile STEM Learning Lab to its after school curriculum.

STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics, and has been a valuable academic enrichment component to after school programming. The Ivy League Before & After School Program is currently in 25 schools in 9 districts. Last year, The Ivy League added STEM education to its programming and the response has been overwhelmingly positive from the students and parents. The Mobile STEM Lab was created to travel so all sites and students are exposed to the lab.

“From the moment the Mobile STEM Lab arrives, you can see a level of excitement from the students. They put their lab coat and goggles on and are engaged in the experiments,” says Executive Director Joseph Evans. “It was our goal to bring STEM into the programming to make these subjects fun in hopes that some want to pursue STEM fields when they’re older.”

The Ivy League plans to bring the Mobile STEM Lab to 25 different school sites in the south Chicago suburbs exposing more than 1,000 children to STEM.

In the first week inside the Mobile STEM Lab, students will be making Borax Crystals, experimenting with non-Newtonian fluid, and examining scrapings from the bottom of their shoes with high-resolution microscopes.

Employment in occupations related to STEM is projected to grow to more than 9 million by 2022, and STEM-related jobs tend to pay well. Not only does STEM programming help kids to develop the skills necessary to be successful for a 21st century workforce, but STEM-focused after-school programs also engage students who have been otherwise turned off by education.

The Mobile STEM Lab plans to travel to different schools, community events and more. For more information, please visit www.ivyleagueafterschool.com.

About Ivy League Before & After School Sports & Recreation Program

The Ivy League Before and After School Program offers quality programming that focuses on fitness recreation and academic enrichment in a healthy, safe environment to all students in Kindergarten through 8th grade. We are committed to providing a fun-filled, rewarding program that supports the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual development of school-age children and their families to the fullest potential in order to improve their quality of life. The Ivy League Before and After School Program is conducted both at our main facility in Mokena and on-site at several school locations in Chicago Heights District 170, Community Consolidated District 146, Forest Ridge School District 142, Kirby School District 140, Lansing School District 158, Midlothian School District 143, Mokena School District 159, and Palos School District 118. Through our 25 program sites, we serve students in Mokena, Frankfort, Chicago Heights, Tinley Park, Orland Park, Oak Forest, Lansing, Midlothian, Crestwood, Palos Heights, and Palos Park. For more information, please visit www.ivyleagueafterschool.com.

About Kids Fit Foundation

The Kids Fit Foundation is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to funding and providing health and fitness programs for youth and their families. Through its health and fitness programs and events, the Kids Fit Foundation inspires children to develop a love for fitness at an early age. For more information, please visit www.kidsfitfoundation.org.

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