Girls STEM Institute (GSI) is a STEM learning program designed to provide holistic learning opportunities for girls and young women of color ages 9-18 who are historically marginalized in STEM fields. Currently, GSI is implemented as a four-week summer program and Saturday workshops once a month during the school year. During the school year, GSI also offers parent/caregiver workshops to assist and empower parents/caregivers as they advocate on behalf of their daughters. GSI provides girls and young women of color, an opportunity to develop an understanding of mathematics and other STEM concepts in a meaningful and culturally grounded context. Within GSI’s rich, rigorous, relevant, and supportive setting, young ladies have the freedom to grow interpersonally and intellectually. Through GSI framework of socially transformative STEM curriculum (Mutegi, 2011), girls and young women are provided access to powerful STEM learning experiences that challenge them to think deeply and critically. As STEM learners, they are empowered to use STEM as a tool for personal and social change.

Note: Girls STEM Summer Institute is open and available to all individuals, regardless of race or gender.

Faculty Contact: Dr. Crystal Morton

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The Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom Schools program provides a 6-week summer enrichment experience through a research-based and multicultural curriculum that supports children and families through five essential components: (1) high quality academic and character-building enrichment; (2) parent and family involvement; (3) civic engagement and social action; (4) intergenerational servant leadership development; and (5) nutrition, health and mental health. The CDF Freedom Schools program is proudly rooted in the American Civil Rights Movement and the courageous efforts of college-age youth to make a difference. The CDF Freedom Schools program has its origins in the Mississippi Freedom Summer project of 1964, which brought college students from around the country to Mississippi to secure justice and voting rights for Black citizens. These early Freedom Schools aimed at keeping Black children and youth safe and giving them rich educational experiences that were not offered to them in Mississippi’s public schools. In collaboration with community partners (Indianapolis Public Schools, Indianapolis Freedom School Partnership) and other campus units (School of Liberal Arts, Office of Community Engagement- Families, Schools, and Neighborhood Engagement), the School of Education sponsors a summer Freedom School program at a local IPS elementary school and brings the resources of IUPUI to the community.

Faculty Contact: Dr. Les Etienne

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elev8te: Exploring Global Black Arts Movements is a literary and creative arts program that explores the cultural, historical, and political impact of six 20th century Global Black Arts movements, including: • Négritude (Paris, Senegal, French Guiana, 1930s) • New Negro Movement/Harlem Renaissance (1917-1935) • Indigéniste (Haiti, 1920s) • Négrismo (Cuba & Puerto Rico, 1920s-1930s) • New Negro Movement/Black Chicago Renaissance (1935-1950) • Black Arts Movement (1965-1975) The program introduces participants to a rich tradition of Black Arts and artists who developed and used art to transform society. These artists were activists and visionaries who leveraged art to promote literacy, social justice, critical remembering, historical recovery, institution-building, education, and cultural expression. elev8te functions as an expansive language arts pedagogy, historical interrogation, and curriculum intervention that examines the literature, visual culture, audiopolitics, aesthetic foundations, and political thrusts of six 20th century Global Black Arts Movements. The course explores the development of the visual, material, and expressive culture articulated by Africana activists, artists, and intellectuals throughout the western hemisphere.

Faculty Contact: Dr. Lasana Kazembe

Your Life Your Story: Latino Youth Summit is an evidence-based, interdisciplinary, and community-based youth development program. Over the course of a week, 30 Latinx youth experience a resilience-building curriculum, followed by a selection of art and movement-based activities to explore their identity, develop goals for the future, and identify barriers and opportunities. Breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks are also provided to teens and staff at the camp. Expert professionals from the community lead the day-long activities. College-aged mentors work with teens to enhance learning, act as role models, and serve as a resource. Throughout the week, teens learn skills that will help them deal effectively and positively with the challenges they face. By teaching teens skills to thrive, we are not only preventing problems, but also helping them reach their goals.

Faculty Contact: Dr. Monica Medina

Summer Literacy with iPads program is designed to prevent the "summer slide" that is often seen in children that are not involved in literacy activities over the summer. Our program is intended to not only prevent children from regressing, but to increase their literacy achievement levels, if possible. This was accomplished by immersing the children in a literate environment, teaching them at their level, and stretching them beyond their assessed capabilities using a reading and writing workshop format. Senior interns and first year teachers from the IUPUI SoE are hired to work with K-3 children enrolled at our eight partner organizations (Boys and Girls Club, Christamore House, Concord Neighborhood Center, Edna Martin Center, Hawthorne Community Center, Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center, John Boner Center, and Westminster Neighborhood Ministries).

Faculty Contact: Dr. Kara Taylor