Who are the people in your neighborhood? Our neighborhood is a diverse community of curious learners – and we want every child who grows up in DeKalb to imagine themselves as college and career bound. STEM Fest, STEAM summer camps, afterschool programs and Parent University … STEM neighborhood outreach programs use fun hands-on learning and community building to put youth on the pathway to future success.
Give today to support the Huskies of tomorrow!
With your donation, we can expand our STEM neighborhood outreach in DeKalb County, enhance and diversify our activities and events, and create a positive impact in children's and teen's lives. Every donation in any amount makes a difference.
Discover the impact of NIU STEAM programs.
“Just over a year ago, the Barb City STEAM Team program began, offering a group of DeKalb middle school students a chance to come to the NIU campus for mentorship, homework help, and – of course – project-based STEAM learning. We knew we wanted the FoodMASTER curriculum – which uses food to teach applied math and science concepts – to be one of the many options students could choose from. And we’re not surprised that it is always one of our most popular classes. There’s nothing more fun than learning with food!.”
- Kelly Furr, NIU STEAM Educator
"This past year, the Barb City STEAM Team collaborated with Paul Wright, Professor in NIU’s Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KNPE), to connect our middle school students with his pre-service physical education teachers. The plan was for our students to learn team sports while the pre-service teachers gained valuable teaching experience. When we first entered into the partnership, we were excited because we knew that physical activity had positive effects on a student’s overall health and well-being. What we weren’t expecting was how much this programming would impact our students’ daily interaction with each other, their self-esteem and their leadership skills."
-Stephanie Dietrich, NIU STEAM Educator and Director of the Barb City STEAM Team after school program
"One of our goals is to help the Barb City STEAM Team middle school students see that college is a viable outcome for them – to imagine themselves here at NIU or another university – and there’s no better way to do that than to have them here on campus, Monday through Friday, whenever school is in session. Our program is about the whole family and the whole child. That’s why activities such as cooking classes, nutrition, art and sports are so central to our approach."
-Stephanie Dietrich, NIU STEAM Educator and Director of the Barb City STEAM Team after school program
