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A woman with a name tag that reads 'Mrs. P' and a young man are in a classroom, observing a science experiment involving a test tube or small glass container.

ChiS&E in the Chicago Tribune

Now, almost 80, she sets an example teaching earth science and algebra classes at the Chicago Pre-College Science and Engineering Program, also known as ChiS&E, a nonprofit that offers enrichment classes on Saturdays and in the summer for historically underrepresented students to pique and motivate their interest in careers in science.

Engines of change: Chicago program puts young minds on the fast track to STEM

Growing up in Englewood, Soyini Walton said she was directed into transcription and stenography classes while she watched her male peers walk around with slides and discuss algebra.

She always preferred science but said she wasn’t given the option to pursue it. At age 11, she remembers finding a dead bird and, out of curiosity, cutting it open with her dad’s razor.

“Nobody really said, Well, what are you passionate about? Because you probably could go into anything you want,” Walton said.

She worked as a teacher for years in her 20s before returning to Richard J. Daley and Kennedy-King colleges on the Southeast Side to enhance her math knowledge.

Research

STEM starts with math, the ChiS&E way

  • 100% of our students say they’ve learned new skills

  • 100% of students say they’re more confident in math than ever

  • 100% of computer science students grew highly confident in their understanding of the subject, with 75% saying their are very confident

A pie chart showing confidence levels, with 75% labeled as 'Very Confident' and 25% as 'Highly Confident'.

Confidence in Computer Science Skills

Four children wearing white T-shirts are gathered around a computer monitor, smiling and looking at it in a classroom with whiteboards and drawings behind them.

A Case Study of
the Chicago Pre-College
Science and Engineering Program

This case study illustrates how delivering innovative STEM education to low- income minority children and their parents in Chicago increased their confidence and knowledge about pursuing higher education and careers in STEM fields.

Inclusive Innovation in the Sciences

The University of Chicago (UChicago), the University of Illinois in Urbana Champaign (UIUC), Argonne, and Fermilab are at the forefront of scientific research and engineering. Representing leading public and private academic institutions and national labs, these entities have come

together to advance a shared vision to catalyze inclusive innovation through increased investment on Chicago’s South Side.