{"654212":{"#nid":"654212","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Little Einsteins Organization Brings Science and Engineering to the Kids","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.campuslabs.com\/engage\/organization\/little-einsteins\u0022\u003ELittle Einsteins Organization\u003C\/a\u003E (LEO) is a chartered Georgia Tech campus organization that conducts science, technology, engineering, and math focused activities with children in Atlanta. \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EEach week, LEO works with more than 150 kids at various elementary schools in Atlanta. The organization has more than \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/gatech.campuslabs.com\/engage\/organization\/little-einsteins\u0022\u003E100 Georgia Tech student members\u003C\/a\u003E and nearly \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/gatech_leo\/?hl=en\u0022\u003E2,000 followers on Instagram\u003C\/a\u003E. Membership is open to all undergraduate and graduate Georgia Tech students. \u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe past two years have presented many challenges for those involved in education, but that hasn\u0026rsquo;t stopped Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.campuslabs.com\/engage\/organization\/little-einsteins\u0022\u003ELittle Einsteins Organization\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;from helping provide students in K-5 schools with instruction and activities focused on STEM.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThey\u0026rsquo;ve accomplished that by changing how they bring science and engineering to the kids \u0026mdash; meeting at Hands on Atlanta for science demonstrations, and sending kits to local libraries for children and their families to take home \u0026mdash; so that children can perform experiments found in do-it-yourself\u0026nbsp;kits assembled by Georgia Tech volunteers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;I think they have done wonderful outreach activities, and have been so creative and committed to reach out, despite the very different pandemic landscape,\u0026rdquo; says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/people\/pollet\/pamela\u0022\u003EPamela Pollet\u003C\/a\u003E, LEO academic advisor and\u0026nbsp;senior academic professional in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/chemistry.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003C\/a\u003E. \u0026ldquo;This project is unique because it gives Georgia Tech students the opportunity to support the education of young children in Atlanta during a time of isolation and online schooling.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPollet says the pandemic hasn\u0026rsquo;t kept LEO student and instructor volunteers from keeping their commitment to Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s students, especially those in underserved communities.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd before Covid, Pollet saw firsthand LEO\u0026rsquo;s impact when volunteers helped the younger students conduct experiments in their schools. \u0026ldquo;Their friend\u0026rsquo;s volcano erupted much more than theirs. Why? What was different? \u0026lsquo;How come my catapult is not working?\u0026rsquo; It is okay if it does not work \u0026mdash; let\u0026rsquo;s take a look and think how we can make it work,\u0026quot; she shares. \u0026quot;LEO members created a welcoming and vibrant atmosphere in which students were so engaged and curious.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThere was also the opportunity for Atlanta children to see future versions of themselves in the Georgia Tech students. \u0026ldquo;They recognized themselves or connected with LEO members as if they were in an age group of older sisters or brothers. It demystified the image given to a scientist or engineer.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/olivia-gravina-a75415183\u0022\u003EOlivia Gravina\u003C\/a\u003E, a fourth-year undergraduate in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/math.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESchool of Mathematics\u003C\/a\u003E, serves as LEO president for the 2021-22 school year. Gravina says one of the group\u0026rsquo;s latest efforts to get creative during Covid challenges involved putting together at-home STEM kits for kids involved in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.handsonatlanta.org\/discovery\u0022\u003EHands On Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s \u0026quot;Disco\u0026quot; program\u003C\/a\u003E, formerly known as the Discovery program. Disco is a Saturday morning enrichment program which currently offers STEM, social emotional learning, fitness, and health-related activities to K-5 youth across nine Atlanta-area schools.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We made 150 homemade ice pack kits, and 150 soap Silly Putty kits,\u0026rdquo; Gravina says. Teams of LEO members made instructional videos for each of the activities which included explanations of the science behind them. Then, Tech\u0026#39;s LEO members joined Zoom calls with students from schools involved in the Disco program.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;The young students had the opportunity to ask questions, and Georgia Tech students were able to encourage the younger students and see the impact of the kits they had provided,\u0026rdquo; Gravina shares.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAnother recent activity, a collaboration with\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.fulcolibrary.org\/\u0022\u003EFulton County Libraries\u003C\/a\u003E, saw LEO members assembling kits for building small catapults, which also included instructional videos. \u0026ldquo;We delivered 620 catapult-making kits, which translates to 20 kits in each of the 31 branches of the Fulton County Library System,\u0026rdquo; Gravina explains.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It was absolutely brilliant to use the libraries, kits and videos to maintain the excitement of hands-on experimenting,\u0026rdquo; Pollet adds.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;It was needed even more, especially for younger kids. Being virtual all day leaves many of them disconnected from the material and what science is about: Experiments, observations, questions, analysis,\u0026quot; Pollet shares. \u0026quot;And again, they can connect the experiments with Georgia Tech students they can easily relate to.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EGravina says LEO is still working through plans for the season ahead, but hopes to continue coordinating activities in Atlanta libraries. She encourages other Georgia Tech students to \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.campuslabs.com\/engage\/organization\/little-einsteins\u0022\u003Ejoin those activities\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPollet says the ability to show younger students that they could eventually pursue science careers is critical, pandemic or no pandemic.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Young, dynamic Tech students who are doing science, and taking the time to do it with them,\u0026rdquo; Pollet says. \u0026ldquo;That is really inspiring.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EMore information on Little Einsteins Organization is available on their\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/gatech.campuslabs.com\/engage\/organization\/little-einsteins\u0022\u003Ewebsite\u003C\/a\u003E, and on their\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/gatech_leo\/\u0022\u003EInstagram\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;page. Learn more about Hands On Atlanta\u0026rsquo;s Disco program \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.handsonatlanta.org\/discovery\u0022\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Tech students are creating at-home science kits, collaborating with K-5 schools and local libraries, and using Zoom to keep Atlanta\u0027s youngest scientists and engineers engaged in STEM."}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThrough the\u0026nbsp;Little Einsteins Organization, Georgia Tech students are creating at-home science kits, collaborating with K-5 schools and local libraries, and using Zoom to keep Atlanta\u0026#39;s youngest scientists and engineers engaged in STEM.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Through the Little Einsteins Organization, Georgia Tech students are creating at-home science kits, collaborating with K-5 schools and local libraries, and using Zoom to keep Atlanta\u0027s youngest scientists and engineers engaged in STEM."}],"uid":"34434","created_gmt":"2022-01-10 18:11:07","changed_gmt":"2022-08-25 21:01:36","author":"Renay San Miguel","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2022-01-27T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2022-01-27T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"654852":{"id":"654852","type":"image","title":"An Atlanta K-5 student joins a Georgia Tech LEO volunteer to learn about the science behind making slime (Photo: 2020)","body":null,"created":"1643300329","gmt_created":"2022-01-27 16:18:49","changed":"1643300329","gmt_changed":"2022-01-27 16:18:49","alt":"","file":{"fid":"248315","name":"1500.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/1500.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/1500.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":198482,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/1500.jpg?itok=tw7PRDlo"}},"654202":{"id":"654202","type":"image","title":"Little Einstein Organization volunteers Paige Holland (left) and Grace May prepare at-home science kits for Atlanta K-5 students. (Photo: Olivia Gravina)","body":null,"created":"1641830473","gmt_created":"2022-01-10 16:01:13","changed":"1641830473","gmt_changed":"2022-01-10 16:01:13","alt":"","file":{"fid":"248128","name":"LEO#3 two girls preparing baking soda kits.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/LEO%233%20two%20girls%20preparing%20baking%20soda%20kits.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/LEO%233%20two%20girls%20preparing%20baking%20soda%20kits.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":768487,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/LEO%233%20two%20girls%20preparing%20baking%20soda%20kits.JPG?itok=OjNxa-MT"}},"654201":{"id":"654201","type":"image","title":"From L to R: Little Einstein Organization volunteers Madison Cochran, Eduardo Ramirez Velez, Sydney Bules, and Anna Cobb put together homemade Silly Putty kits. (Photo: Olivia Gravina)","body":null,"created":"1641830295","gmt_created":"2022-01-10 15:58:15","changed":"1641830295","gmt_changed":"2022-01-10 15:58:15","alt":"","file":{"fid":"248127","name":"LEO #4 preparing kits around table.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/LEO%20%234%20preparing%20kits%20around%20table.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/LEO%20%234%20preparing%20kits%20around%20table.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":720948,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/LEO%20%234%20preparing%20kits%20around%20table.JPG?itok=zo6myFzN"}},"654203":{"id":"654203","type":"image","title":"At-home science kits prepared by Little Einstein Organization volunteers at Georgia Tech. (Photo: Olivia Gravina)","body":null,"created":"1641830637","gmt_created":"2022-01-10 16:03:57","changed":"1641830637","gmt_changed":"2022-01-10 16:03:57","alt":"","file":{"fid":"248129","name":"LEO #1 kits.JPG","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/LEO%20%231%20kits.JPG","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/LEO%20%231%20kits.JPG","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":640426,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/LEO%20%231%20kits.JPG?itok=lWBqngrF"}},"646999":{"id":"646999","type":"image","title":"Pamela Pollet","body":null,"created":"1619632900","gmt_created":"2021-04-28 18:01:40","changed":"1619632900","gmt_changed":"2021-04-28 18:01:40","alt":"","file":{"fid":"245618","name":"Pamela Pollet.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Pamela%20Pollet.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Pamela%20Pollet.png","mime":"image\/png","size":547314,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Pamela%20Pollet.png?itok=6tz2jdQy"}},"654245":{"id":"654245","type":"image","title":"Olivia Gravina","body":null,"created":"1641848092","gmt_created":"2022-01-10 20:54:52","changed":"1641848092","gmt_changed":"2022-01-10 20:54:52","alt":"","file":{"fid":"248138","name":"olivia gravina.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/olivia%20gravina.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/olivia%20gravina.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":95985,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/olivia%20gravina.jpeg?itok=mOBzb-Iw"}}},"media_ids":["654852","654202","654201","654203","646999","654245"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/pamela-pollet-teaching-martial-arts-and-mindfulness-mission","title":"Pamela Pollet: Teaching Martial Arts and Mindfulness with a Mission"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/biological-sciences-and-chemistry-faculty-receive-trio-2020-2021-institute-research-awards","title":"Biological Sciences and Chemistry Faculty Receive Trio of 2020-2021 Institute Research Awards"},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/news\/five-sciences-faculty-honored-georgia-tech-center-teaching-and-learning-awards","title":"Five Sciences Faculty Honored with Georgia Tech Center for Teaching and Learning Awards"}],"groups":[{"id":"1278","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"85951","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"364801","name":"EAS"},{"id":"1275","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"1279","name":"School of Mathematics"},{"id":"126011","name":"School of Physics"},{"id":"443951","name":"School of Psychology"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"42901","name":"Community"},{"id":"42911","name":"Education"},{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"},{"id":"166928","name":"School of Chemistry and Biochemistry"},{"id":"168854","name":"School of Mathematics"},{"id":"173821","name":"Pamela Pollet"},{"id":"189658","name":"Olivia Gravina"},{"id":"180486","name":"Little Einsteins Organization"},{"id":"167258","name":"STEM"},{"id":"166882","name":"School of Biological Sciences"},{"id":"173647","name":"_for_math_site_"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"},{"id":"39511","name":"Public Service, Leadership, and Policy"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenay San Miguel\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCommunications Officer II\/Science Writer\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n404-894-5209\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["renay.san@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}