The Elementary Institute of Science
San Diego, CA – May 16, 2014 – Students in the Commission on Science that Matters (CoStM) program at the Elementary Institute Science (EIS), are taking their volunteer work to the next level. Long time EIS supporters Lola and Walter Green, who support the ideals and principles of the Me to We organization have offered to provide five Commission students the opportunity to participate in a volunteer trip to Ecuador with Me to We, August 3rd-August 16th, 2014. Me to We’s volunteer trip to Ecuador takes place deep in indigenous communities of the country’s rugged mountains or in the lush Amazon region. Ecuador’s natural landscapes are an ideal place to learn about conservation, biodiversity and rural development issues. There were ten CoStM students that applied for this trip and on Tuesday May 27th 2014 5pm-7pm at EIS, five students were selected to attend. The selection process for the students included two interviews, an application, and one page writing response. The announcement will be a celebration for all students that applied as even those students who are not selected will receive a consolation prize.
“In honor of the 50th Anniversary the Green’s wanted the students to have a global experience,” said Mrs. Doris Anderson, Executive Director of EIS. “It is so wonderful to see their excitement and pride knowing they have the opportunity to change lives in another country. It is empowering for them to “give back” and “be the change.” The Commission on Science that Matters (CoStM) is our program for youth ages 14-17, that is centered around four initiative topics; health, energy, water, and green living. Each initiative is made up of a year-long study on current issues in the topic. Each initiative begins in the summer with an in-depth look at the science behind the topics issues. Students learn through class experiments, presentations, research and field trips throughout the summer program. Along with learning the science, students also learn public speaking, advocacy, and leadership during the program. Public speaking and advocacy help the students develop the skills needed to become advocates on the issues, speaking and presenting at various events throughout San Diego in the fall and spring programs. “We are not just building future scientists, but we are building future community leaders and philanthropists as well.”
ABOUT EIS- the Elementary Institute of Science is a premiere science enrichment program which nurtures the intellectual curiosity of San Diego’s young people by providing “hands-on” experiences to stimulate an ongoing appreciation of science and technology. EIS was started by Tom Watts in 1964 as an after school club held in the back of an elementary school classroom in Southeast San Diego. Today EIS is housed in a two story 15,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that provides the ideal environment for children to learn about science and technology. The facility is equipped with five science labs, two computer science labs, a photography lab, lecture theatre, and conference room. This year’s CoStM topic is STEM Sustainability, students ages 14-17 can sign up now. Classes are from June 23rd – August 8th, students can attend 1 – 7 weeks. For more information about EIS, please go to www.eisca.org.
About Me to We- Me to We is part of a family of organizations, including Free The Children and We Day, that has a shared goal: to empower a generation to shift the world from “me” to “we”—through how we act, how we give, the choices we make on what to buy and what to wear, the media we consume and the experiences with which we choose to engage. For more information about Me to We, please go to www.metowe.com.
