Children form their perceptions of the world at a young age, which are directly influenced by what they encounter early on. To ensure that a child’s worldview is as well-rounded as possible, it is important to familiarize them with a variety of interests.
A child’s perception of the world can also shape their perceptions of themselves. Oftentimes, children cannot imagine themselves in certain fields or careers simply because they have not been exposed to them. This makes it vital to share information about careers with kids in a useful and engaging way.
GT Little Einsteins Organization (LEO) is a student-run organization that aims to increase children’s exposure to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The organization packages STEM experiment kits, which are then distributed to public libraries and the children who visit them.
The experiments they pack vary — the most recent experiment which they are currently packaging is called “Penny Power” and features different penny experiments. For example, how many drops of water can fit on a penny, and how can a copper penny turn the same color as the Statue of Liberty?
Abigail Cressy, fourth-year BIO, has been a member of LEO since last year and was named co-president in August. When asked how she got involved with the organization, she stated that one of her friends encouraged her to join.
“I’ve always loved working with kids and encouraging science and math with them. I used to be a math tutor in high school, and I had such a fun time with that, so I just love working with them,” Cressy said of her motivation to continue working with LEO.
LEO is a great way for Tech students to get hands-on volunteer experience that reaches outside the bounds of Tech’s campus. The organization prepares over 700 experiment kits per semester to be given to various branches of Fulton County Libraries.
“It’s an awesome way to give back to the Atlanta community because Fulton County is so big. It spans so far north and south, so that’s a lot of libraries we’re covering,” Cressy said.
LEO also partners with some schools to host events on Saturdays for the students to participate in STEM activities with organization members.
“It’s just something cool for them to do on Saturday. The basis of it is just getting kids excited about science and feeling like they can see themselves doing science,” Cressy said.
Each week, members gather for an hour to listen to music, eat, and chat with each other before they begin packing the experiments.
“We divvy it up into an assembly line. We have some people labeling the bags, some cutting up the instructions, and some filling the bags,” Cressy said.
LEO focuses not only on outreach but also on representation. The organization ensures that students are shown all the opportunities they have at their disposal at a young age. Knowledge is an invaluable tool, and LEO gives Jackets the opportunity to empower the next generation.