President’s Message

Achieving Impactful STEM Learning Through an Authentic and Consistent Presence

For over 66 years, Orlando Science Center has made science relevant through meaningful and engaging experiences that ignite curiosity and spark innovation. We aspire to help people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities understand how science impacts the world and benefits us all. To achieve real prosperity in our community, everyone must have equal access to high-quality STEM education and opportunities. Unfortunately, that is currently not the case.

With the demand for STEM careers on the rise throughout Florida and an intense underrepresentation of women and people of color in STEM fields across the country, we feel compelled to join the efforts to break down barriers and revitalize STEM education in our community. Neighborhood Science is our new initiative providing high-quality STEM education for multiple days each week in afterschool programs and community centers within underrepresented neighborhoods. It is the bridge that connects these issues by offering opportunities focused on increasing confidence and interest in STEM concepts for youth in Central Florida.

The first Neighborhood Science program will launch this summer with a STEM lab in the Grand Avenue Community Center in Orlando’s Holden Heights neighborhood. Another effort will begin this fall at the Jacqueline Bradley and Clarence Otis Branch of the Boys & Girls Club. We recognize that to have a substantial impact on youth in our community, we need to connect with them where they live. Not everyone can make it to Orlando Science Center to experience our offerings and true impact is not achieved by a museum visit once or twice a year.

We have refocused our outreach to engage students in their neighborhoods with an authentic and consistent presence. Neighborhood Science will work to be the spark that inspires innovation and generates passion for future careers. Students will engage in hands-on STEM discovery and skill-building through multiple activities, including coding, robotics, virtual reality, engineering design challenges, 3D printing and more. Our team will nurture long-term relationships through frequent interactions several times a week.

Orlando Science Center, thanks to funding from partners like NASA, Kiwanis Club of Orlando Foundation, the DeVos Family Foundation and others, is making a multi-year commitment to facilitate programs within these communities. There has never been a more crucial time to engage our youth with science, technology, engineering, and math.

By providing all children with an opportunity for inspiration and education, we begin a pipeline that runs from the Science Center to schools and community centers and to exciting careers. Neighborhood Science will expand our impact throughout Central Florida as we create a STEM-centered community that paves the way for access and opportunities for all. Sincerely,