This summer in the Newton Summer Science Program, several Newton South High School students are teaching Newton middle-school students courses in science and mathematics. These week-long courses cover fascinating topics, including neuroscience, astronomy, and cryptography.
The Newton Summer Science Program was founded by the Newton South Science Team in the summer of 2020, during the height of the pandemic, with the goal of encouraging and maintaining education despite global chaos and uncertainty. Now the program persists as a way for high-school students to give back to the Newton community through their love of science. In its four years of service, the program has placed high value on accessibility and affordability, with virtual classes being free of charge for all Newton middle-school students.
When Lulu Jin learned about the Newton Summer Science Program in her freshman year at Newton South High School, she was thrilled at the prospect of sharing her passions for science with younger students. The following school year, a freshman who had taken her class that summer found her.
“He told me about how much he appreciated the in-depth and clear information in my classes because it was often hard to understand the sources online,” Jin said.
Inspired by the impact of her work, Lulu Jin returned to the program in her sophomore year. When she learned that no one was organizing it last year, she and co-organizer Becky Lin decided to lead it themselves.
“I knew that there were a lot of talented high schoolers outside of [the Newton South] Science Team,” Jin said, “so I expanded the scope of [the Newton Summer Science Program] so that everyone [at Newton South High School] could volunteer to teach.”
That summer, they organized ten classes, each covering different engaging topics. This year, with the goal of making classes “more interactive,” the Newton Summer Science Program partnered with Newton Community Education to offer in-person classes for the first time. The program now offers twenty distinct classes and has served over 155 students since its establishment. Lulu Jin, now entering her final year of high school, is thrilled with what the program has accomplished.
“Every [Summer Science Program] teacher is…science-oriented, motivated, supportive, [and] a great role model [who makes it] fun to learn,” a parent of a summer student wrote.
The Newton Summer Science Program relies on donations to support its summer classes and the fees and materials for Science Team;s competitions during the school year. Learn more, register for classes, and support the program at the Science Team’s website.
Henry Goldstein is a rising junior at The Rivers School and associate editor of NewtonSTEM.org.