Tory Cottle, Daniel Demir, Ashley Robinson and Altug Gencturk

The team’s innovative teaching idea, “Science Buddies,” is a mentoring program in which high school biology students partner with kindergarten students to complete STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) projects. The Voya Unsung Heroes grant will fund the continuation of the program, where teachers provide instruction to the biology students on the project’s guidelines and concepts and teach leadership development skills to the volunteer participants. The biology students, in turn, complete the project with their “Science Buddy” and provide academic and socioemotional mentorship. Through the Science Buddies Program, kindergarteners will develop an appreciation for STEM while their high school partners develop leadership and mentorship skills. The high schoolers will also learn and reinforce their knowledge of scientific concepts by teaching them to a younger learner.