Working with elementary school students is rewarding to Gary Krauss, senior subcontracts specialist, Contracts and Acquisitions, because he can demonstrate that there are lots of career paths in science. Shown here with Myersville Elementary School fifth-graders, Krauss said, “I was never a science major and I let the kids know you don’t always have to work in a lab or wear a lab coat to contribute towards finding a cure for cancer. There are other administrative support roles that are crucial to the success of the team.”
By Julie Hartman, Guest Writer
The Elementary Outreach Program (EOP) is looking for volunteers for the 2013–2014 school year.
This program is designed to bring science into the classrooms of Frederick County students in grades 1 through 5. You’ll have a chance to work with small groups of children, presenting hands-on lessons that are coordinated with the school curriculum.
Volunteer teams in each grade are scheduled to visit four schools in Frederick County this year.
Minimal Time Commitment
Being an EOP volunteer requires a minimal time commitment – you are asked to commit to two days (more if you like) over the course of the school year. Since each day requires no more than four hours, you will be giving a maximum of eight hours to the children of Frederick County.
Your reward will be in the smiles on the faces of the children when they do their experiments with “real scientists.” All of our volunteers, no matter what their positions, are “real scientists” while in the classroom.
Because this program is supported by NCI at Frederick, your volunteer time is considered part of your work day. With supervisory approval, Leidos Biomed employees are authorized to charge Administrative Leave during the hours they participate in the program.
It’s Not Too Late to Volunteer
If you would like to make a difference in a child’s school experience and possibly even inspire a few future scientists, you can sign up online.
If you know which grade level you are interested in, you can indicate it on the registration form. Otherwise, leave that section blank, and an EOP coordinator will contact you with more information. Together, you can determine which grade level will be right for you.
For more information or if you have any questions, please visit the EOP website or contact eop@mail.nih.gov.
Julie Hartman, program analyst, NCI Office of Scientific Operations, is the director of the Elementary Outreach Program.