With the days of 2020 winding down to a close, it's a difficult year to look back on and reflect. Never would I have imagined circumstances that would force us to close the physical doors of the Lab, or the unimaginable loss we would experience.
In the early weeks of the pandemic, the silence and stillness of the space was haunting. The spirit of the Lab was no longer within those walls. Initially, I failed to think bigger and see what this meant. It wasn't that the spirit of our mission was gone, it simply wasn't constrained within the walls of the Lab.
"Many hands make light work"
A small organization making big impact, the Brooklyn Book Bodega responded to our request for books for children in our community by dropping off 750. Since then, they have donated over a thousand more books. This allowed us to have book swaps and community giveaways through the summer, and now we have a Little Free Library with books available at all times!
Our mission is big, but our budget has always been small. Pausing our programming for an unknown amount of time left us in a position where we simply didn't know how or if we could continue staying in business. A longtime supporter, Con Edison continues to support our mission through grants that support our programs. As we transitioned to a kit-based approach, their support was key in maintaining quality and accessibility.
Equitable access to quality science education has always guided our work. A grant from Awesome NYC made it possible for us to create mini science kits that were free to the young scientists in our community. The wonder the mini science kits inspired made it clear that the mission of Kiddie Science was very much alive and well.
During the course of the pandemic, circumstances forced us to reimagine how our mission will be met. What IS Kiddie Science? And how exactly do I plant the seeds of science from my kitchen table? Another longtime supporter, the Roehr Family Foundation, granted us funds to support our efforts of reimagining Kiddie Science and achieving more than we thought we were capable of.
Kiddie Science is a nonprofit, and we are also a business. Therefore, while fulfilling our mission is our main focus, we also have bills to pay and a responsibility to the living things at the Lab. The transition to remote, kit-based learning is a business cost we never anticipated having, much less on such a long term basis. A generous grant from Citizen's Committee of New York makes it possible for us to continue to stay in business and meet our mission in new ways.
Then there's you.
You showed up and supported Kiddie Science (and me) in ways I never expected. You came for books, and I was gifted overhearing your child's joy as they found that perfect one. I met new additions to the family from afar, took distanced selfies with you, and watched as you zipped by the Lab on the scooter you just learned to ride.
Many of you I met for the first time on Zoom and it's been so great knowing you! We've learned so much together, but most importantly you've accepted me for the type of educator that I am. We've danced, laughed at corny science jokes, learned "million dollar" science words, and expanded our understanding of the world around us. Despite the miles and time zones between us, we were scientists, together.
Thank you for reminding me that even in our darkest times, we will always have science and each other. Happy holidays! I look forward to seeing you again in whatever form that may be. Cheers!
~ Ms. Carmen
In the early weeks of the pandemic, the silence and stillness of the space was haunting. The spirit of the Lab was no longer within those walls. Initially, I failed to think bigger and see what this meant. It wasn't that the spirit of our mission was gone, it simply wasn't constrained within the walls of the Lab.
"Many hands make light work"
A small organization making big impact, the Brooklyn Book Bodega responded to our request for books for children in our community by dropping off 750. Since then, they have donated over a thousand more books. This allowed us to have book swaps and community giveaways through the summer, and now we have a Little Free Library with books available at all times!
Our mission is big, but our budget has always been small. Pausing our programming for an unknown amount of time left us in a position where we simply didn't know how or if we could continue staying in business. A longtime supporter, Con Edison continues to support our mission through grants that support our programs. As we transitioned to a kit-based approach, their support was key in maintaining quality and accessibility.
Equitable access to quality science education has always guided our work. A grant from Awesome NYC made it possible for us to create mini science kits that were free to the young scientists in our community. The wonder the mini science kits inspired made it clear that the mission of Kiddie Science was very much alive and well.
During the course of the pandemic, circumstances forced us to reimagine how our mission will be met. What IS Kiddie Science? And how exactly do I plant the seeds of science from my kitchen table? Another longtime supporter, the Roehr Family Foundation, granted us funds to support our efforts of reimagining Kiddie Science and achieving more than we thought we were capable of.
Kiddie Science is a nonprofit, and we are also a business. Therefore, while fulfilling our mission is our main focus, we also have bills to pay and a responsibility to the living things at the Lab. The transition to remote, kit-based learning is a business cost we never anticipated having, much less on such a long term basis. A generous grant from Citizen's Committee of New York makes it possible for us to continue to stay in business and meet our mission in new ways.
Then there's you.
You showed up and supported Kiddie Science (and me) in ways I never expected. You came for books, and I was gifted overhearing your child's joy as they found that perfect one. I met new additions to the family from afar, took distanced selfies with you, and watched as you zipped by the Lab on the scooter you just learned to ride.
Many of you I met for the first time on Zoom and it's been so great knowing you! We've learned so much together, but most importantly you've accepted me for the type of educator that I am. We've danced, laughed at corny science jokes, learned "million dollar" science words, and expanded our understanding of the world around us. Despite the miles and time zones between us, we were scientists, together.
Thank you for reminding me that even in our darkest times, we will always have science and each other. Happy holidays! I look forward to seeing you again in whatever form that may be. Cheers!
~ Ms. Carmen
