THANK YOU for your incredible support! As we grow and thrive with diverse programming, the Lab space was getting a bit worn around the edges and needed some love and attention. Budget constraints have limited us to temporary fixes and many DIY projects. So we put out the call for help, and you responded! Since launching the Love The Lab fundraiser, you have helped raise almost $6,000 toward needed repairs and upgrades. After addressing the radiators, we moved onto small patch-up jobs which included some furniture repair, before starting on a new project that slightly changes the layout of the space while increasing young scientists' access to living things. First we painted the walls, which have been well loved by our young scientists and our experiments. Next, the turtle was moved to a new location, and new filter parts were ordered and installed. The reading nook is also in a new location. We are currently in the process of establishing a living wall of plants, which our young scientists will assist in caring for. There's still several square feet of wall to paint, among other needs. A little bit of love makes a big difference! It's not too late to support our needs with a tax deductible donation.
We'd like to take a moment to say THANK YOU! Your support makes everything possible. As we work with more and more young scientists, the physical Lab space has experienced normal wear one would expect from hundreds of children each week. For some time now, our radiator and covers were experiencing challenges. Your donation to the Love The Lab fundraiser allowed us to address this problem and fix it. Here is what you've helped make possible- Over time, our radiator cover has become detached from the wall. This caused the radiator tube to become misaligned and make the initial problem worse. If you've been to the Lab, we're sure you've noticed the white tape holding some it in alignment. Recently, everything was taken apart, cleaned and realigned, new anchors placed, support pieces added, and some components were replaced. We still need your help to meet our goal! Our next goal is to upgrade our turtle, Spaghetti's, habitat. This will provide a more adequate living space for her while allowing our young scientists improved access to assist in her care. Thank you for your support!
Thanks to support from the Frances Dewin Foundation and individual donors like you, we've embarked on a new aspect of our mission: we are working to increase access to science within our community. Presenting hands-on science workshops involves ongoing costs that oftentimes limits access to learning. Within a two-block radius of the Kiddie Science Lab, there are a handful of small preschools and childcare centers that could benefit from fun and engaging science exploration, but it proves cost prohibitive to do so.
We put the call out for support and you've helped make incredible things happen. For the last couple of months, we have been working with local childcare groups to increase access and engagement in science. This includes visits to the Lab and take-home materials that engage adults in exploring science with their children. We raised enough funds to make this possible at no cost to families or the program providers. It's been an amazing time exploring worms and compost, caring for the garden, learning about chemistry, observing our turtles, and learning about ecology. As we come to the end of our funding, we want to say thank you for making this possible! The feedback from families in the program has been great and many have used the resources shared with them. You have helped make an incredible impact. Thank you! Thank you for dedicating your support to ensuring that all children have access to science education.
Right now, a significant portion of our students have limited access to science education outside of Kiddie Science workshops. Each week, school buses full of children from in and around Brooklyn come to the Lab for our hands-on workshops. More often than not, we see the same schools and groups only 1-2 times per year due to budget constraints. Schools can't afford to pay for the science workshops, and we can't afford to provide the service at a lower cost than we already offer. Your donation supports our goal to ensure that all schools, groups, and families that want to explore science at the Kiddie Science Lab are able to do so regardless of financial obstacles. Thanks to the support of individuals like you and the Frances Dewin Foundation, we are currently working with three local childcare programs to present fun, engaging, hands-on science workshops at no cost. We need your help to continue to do more. Our children represent the scientists of the future. Ensuring that access to science is available to all is an investment in the breakthroughs and discoveries of tomorrow. Thank you for your support! The cost of quality science materials is ongoing and makes up a large portion of our operating expenses. In a typical 9-month school year:
- One magnifying lens will be used at least 300 times by several children. Eventually, many of our magnifying lenses need to be replaced due to wear and tear that make their use difficult. - One pipette will be squeezed and released at least 5,700 times. The majority of our pipettes need to be replaced each year because they no longer work. - We use at least 992 ounces of baking soda, 48 gallons of vinegar, 1,792 ounces of vegetable oil, and 1,344 ounces of lemon juice for chemistry experiments. - We utilize at least 8,500 cups of various sizes to pour, measure, mix, scoop, and sort experiment ingredients. We reuse cups until they break and, when possible, purchase compostable or biodegradable cups. Supporting our efforts to replace and acquire science materials allows our young scientists access to the tools they need to be successful in their scientific exploration. |
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