Science Giants - Al Raby High School

Science Giants (SG) provides Chicago public high school students with a meaningful and content-rich service learning opportunity as science exhibit facilitators in a variety of settings throughout the city. The program builds scientific literacy while fostering civic responsibility, public-speaking, and interpersonal skills. As Science Giants, students work with peers from all over the city and interact with a diverse audience of exhibit visitors of all ages, nationalities, professions, and levels of knowledge. As valued educators to whom the public at-large looks for information, they have the opportunity to step outside of their ordinary interactions, and begin to see themselves as involved and responsible citizens of their community. For this apprenticeship, in conjunction with After School Matters, the students will be going through a curriculum, based on the history of the Conservatory, the plants within each house, and many other details, that will train them to be docents at the Conservatory and conduct tours with the public. Students will earn a stipend while learning about what it takes working behind (and sometimes in front of) the scenes at the Conservatory. In addition to learning about and maintaining the inner workings of this unique ecosystem, students will serve as the founding members of a team of Science Ambassadors, designing programs to help bring the Conservatory to life for visitors young and old.