Program History
Afterschool Universe was pilot tested under the name
Beyond Einstein Explorers' Program (BEEP) in the Summers of 2006 and 2007.
We partnered with the Imagine the Universe! program to develop this program and also worked closely with the DC Children and Youth Investment trust Corporation (CYITC) during both the development and testing phases.
In Summer 2006, CYITC sponsored five groups in three different programs to participate in the first phase of testing. These programs were
Higher Achievement Program, Friendship Public Charter School, and
Link DC.
Based on the feedback and comments from the 2006 pilot, we revised the program and conducted a second round of testing in Summer 2007. The second round of testing extended beyond the Washington, DC, metro area. A total of ten groups participated in the testing. The five Washington DC-based groups sponsored by CYITC were City Gate, Inc.; Community Family Life Services, Inc./Perry Schools; New Community for Children; Higher Achievement Program; and Y.O.U.R. Community Center.
The other five program leaders for 2007 ran the program at a variety of locations including community-based summer camps, university-run camps, university extension office programs, and school-based summer programs.
The Summer 2007 program was formally evaluated by an external consultant. The evaluation report indicates that the program leaders greatly enjoyed leading the program and would choose to do so again. They were satisfied that their primary goal was met (of providing students with an exposure to science that they might not otherwise receive). In addition, they commented on how this program had changed their own perceptions of the Universe. The students also indicated that they enjoyed the program and it made them see that "science is fun." [See more quotes from the leaders and students . . .]
Additional pictures
