The San Diego 2025 PRIDE theme is “Unbreakable PRIDE, Unshakeable POWER. This annual parade starting in Hillcrest and ending at Balboa Park will be Saturday, July 19th from 10am – 3pm.
EIS is honored to support students from all parts of our community, including those who are LGBTQ+.
Recap: Steps-2-STEM
In the 2024-2025 school year, Steps-2-STEM served 1,316 fourth and fifth grade students. Each week, for five weeks, students received 20 hours of hands-on, high-quality STEM education each session.
Throughout each session, students engaged in fun, hands-on lessons about biology, chemistry, physics, and computer science. Teachers report that the program content is invaluable, helping students dive deeper into the subject matter.
“The curriculum planners do not just target a science concept, an accompanying assignment, and writing in a journal about the student understanding. They plan for students to truly investigate a concept and pair this with drawings as well as other materials to cement that learning.” – Teacher feedback.
This school year we tested out family day, a chance for parents and guardians to join their children for a partial Steps-2-STEM day. They participated in different STEM activities and saw firsthand what their kids were learning at EIS.
Our partners brought in additional STEM learning opportunities. Students explored mathematical concepts through paper folding, aka origami with the VisMO Project at the University of San Diego. They also learned about the digestive system with a fun and messy activity taught by future doctors attending the University of California San Diego School of Medicine. To keep kids engaged outside of school, Balboa Park Cultural Partnership provided Park Explorer annual family passes to students with good attendance and participation.
Steps-2-STEM has thrived because of partners who share a common objective to support the educational outcomes of all students. Thank you EIS staff, Lincoln Cluster elementary schools, the San Diego Unified School District, and our STEM partners for your support to make this program a success.
Thank you sponsors for your generous support of Steps-2-STEM! These funders include Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Alumbra Innovations, Rice Family Foundation, ResMed Foundation, Qualcomm, Reuben H. Fleet Foundation Fund, Girard Foundation, Walter J. and Betty C. Zable Foundation, Grifols San Diego Social Impact Committee, and Hologic Charitable Fund.
Recap: Girls Take Flight Inaugural Appreciation Event
We had so much fun at our alumni and sponsor appreciation event for Girls Take Flight. Program graduates, current participants, lead instructors, funders, family members, EIS staff, and EIS board members all helped make this a memorable event.
Girls Take Flight instructors Luxary Chrisostomo and Shyanne Smith emceed the event with Desi Ekstein and 2024 program graduate Camryn Calascan.
It was a joy to see previous lead instructors Angelica Thang and Vanesa Dominguez, along with former executive director Jim Stone, who started the program in 2018.
We had two special speakers from our program partners; Shellie B. from Our Genetic Legacy who infuses genomics and drones to uncover hidden BIPOC history and Fernando Melendez from Scripps Institute of Oceanography who will be working with Girls Take Flight drone pilots to observe marine life, such as leopard sharks.
Thank you Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe for joining us and supporting girls in tech!
Thank you to our funders who were able to attend from PNC Foundation, US Bank, and Macy’s, Thank you to all of our generous funders who ensure this project continues to support the students who need it most.
San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) – BAE Systems – David C. Copley Foundation – PNC Foundation – Macy’s – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems – Alaska Airlines – The Kinship Fund – US Bank Foundation – Farrell Family Foundation – and the Guenther Foundation.
Have you participated in programs or volunteered at the Elementary Institute of Science?
Whether you’re still in high school, college, working or retired, we want to know what you’ve been up to and if you have thoughts about any impact EIS had on your life or career. Please send an email to our Development Assistant, Leah Oviedo at loviedo@eisca.org.
EIS alumni are invited to join our official group to reconnect and stay updated on future reunions. Facebook.com/groups/AlumniConnectEIS