Sign up for EIS Spring STEM Camp!
Sign up at Eisca.org/camps / Registrarse a Eisca.org/camps
Sign up for EIS After-School and Saturday Spring STEM Classes!
Sign up at Eisca.org/after-school-saturday-programs / Registrarse a Eisca.org/after-school-saturday-programs
Black History: In Memory of Ruby Holman
Ruby Holman and her husband Ben Holman were some of the earliest supporters of the Elementary Institute of Science. Close friends of EIS’s founder, Tom Watts, the wise counsel provided by both Ruby and Ben helped shape EIS from its beginning in the early 1960s. Ruby was born in Annapolis, Maryland in 1927 and moved to San Diego with her sister just before World War II.
She attended San Diego High School and after graduating married Ben Holman, who became the first Black firefighter to integrate the San Diego Fire Department. For many years, she worked for the San Diego Unified School District as a School Librarian. Her two children, Alwin Holman and Kyra Holman-Randall, were among the first students to attend EIS and she was a frequent presence during early EIS activities, including chaperoning late night grunion hunts and Saturday field trips.
Active in the community, she taught Sunday School and was a longtime member of Faith Presbyterian Church. She was a modest person, always avoiding any limelight, but quietly left her mark on EIS with her solid judgement and steadfast support. She remained a strong supporter of the youth of San Diego and their education until her passing in 2020.
EIS Instructor: Ciara Chevannes-Compton
Ciara started working at EIS in the fall of 2022 and has been a student favorite ever since. Ciara has a Bachelor’s Degree in Archaeological Sciences from Pennsylvania State University. Previously she has worked in Ireland doing excavation work and cataloged artifacts from around California at the San Diego Archaeological Center.
Ciara was drawn to archaeology because “I have always been interested in history from around the world but I wanted to help write the story and a great way to do that would be to be out in the field excavating.”
The most rewarding part of being an instructor at EIS is when she can tell that the kids are interested in the class and she can show them that science can be fun. “My favorite lesson to teach is fossil investigation because I get to show the kids real fossils and this is usually when their interest is sparked and I get millions of questions about them.” One of her favorite moments was when a student wrote a short story for all the teachers at EIS. When not at EIS one of her favorite places to be is Balboa Park, especially on Tuesdays “I love looking at new exhibits, especially at the Natural History Museum.”
High School Programs
Sign up: eisca.org/teton-science
RSVP: EventBrite
The Mathemagician Homework Club
If you would like to participate, email info@mathemagiciansclub.com. Include your email, your child’s grade, and math concepts they are working on (or share an attachment of their homework). Mentors will offer help, more practice problems or worksheets. This includes SAT math help as well. They will monitor this email daily so you don’t have to wait until Saturday to ask for help.
The Mathemagicians App is here! In addition to joining the Mathemagicians every Saturday for math tutoring, students can now practice math on the new app. It’s available for free at the “Apple App Store” for download. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mathemagicians/id1557607923
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