Service

September 4, 2024 In Alumni, Mentorship, Service

The Power of Fellowship Alumni Leadership

New beginnings are never easy, especially when entering a new role. While they offer the potential for growth and connection, they also bring uncertainty and self-doubt. Questions like: “Am I doing this right?”, “How do I know if I’ll measure up?”, or simply “Am I good enough?” can clog up the mind and lead to stress and overwhelm that holds us back from embracing the transformative opportunities coming our way. 

This July, as I entered my new role as the FAO Schwarz Fellow with Audubon Mid-Atlantic in Philadelphia, many of the same questions stuck in my mind. As the Summer ends and I reflect on my journey so far, I am struck by one aspect of the Fellowship that has been critical to overcoming uncertainty and feeling comfortable in my new role: alumni mentorship. 

The support I’ve received not just from my own alumni mentor, but also from the wider network of alumni Fellows, has been crucial in helping me overcome the uncertainty that accompanies entering a new position.

One factor that makes the FAO Schwarz Fellowship unique is that every first-year Fellow is matched with an alumni mentor who provides direct support and guidance. They can also help Fellows get connected to a vast network of Fellowship alumni who can all provide helpful insights from the unique perspective of someone who has already completed the Fellowship.  

I am lucky enough to work daily alongside my alumni mentor, Sophie Becker-Klein, who completed her Fellowship over the summer and remains in a full-time role at Audubon-Mid-Atlantic. Having just completed the same role I am entering, Sophie has been able to provide me with specific guidance that helps clear up many of the uncertainties faced in my transition. By offering me the opportunity to shadow, collaborate on planning, coteach, and eventually lead lessons for recreation centers, camps, and field trip groups, she has modeled best environmental educator practices and provided me with a sounding board for my questions and new ideas surrounding the role. 

She even organized a group dinner and trivia night with alumni Fellow Kayla Johnson (The Clay Studio ’24) and her mentee and current Fellow, Emily Lu (The Clay Studio ’26). The four of us were able to share our experiences and discuss what it means to be an FAO Schwarz Fellow – all while absolutely dominating the trivia game and soaring into second place (no big deal). 

As the school year begins, I’m preparing to enter three elementary schools in the nearby Strawberry Mansion neighborhood to teach four lessons to all classes from kindergarten to 5th Grade as a part of my Direct Service aimed at expanding environmental conservation education in an area that has historically been cut off from opportunities to connect with nature. In this process, Sophie has once again been an invaluable resource to me. 

By introducing me to administrators in these partner schools and guiding me through the lesson planning process, she has helped me feel more comfortable entering schools for the first time. Beyond direct support from my Alumni Mentor, having alumni Fellow, Greg Wright (The Food Trust ‘13) as my point of contact at Edward Gideon School, has enabled me to get introduced to the school community through attending Produce Distributions and Back-to-School events. These opportunities make me feel even more comfortable and excited to begin teaching lessons and continue building connections at this school. 

Overall, the support I’ve received not just from my own alumni mentor, Sophie, but from the wider network of alumni Fellows like Greg and Kayla, has been crucial in helping me overcome the uncertainty that accompanies entering a new position. While I know that starting in-classroom lessons will be an adjustment and learning process for me, I feel reassured by the increased familiarity and connections with partner schools Sophie has helped me build and the promise of ongoing guidance from the broader alumni network. 

 

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Julie Kleaver

Julie (she/her) is The Discovery Center FAO Schwarz Fellow at Audubon Mid-Atlantic in Philadelphia.

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August 14, 2024 In Alumni, Beyond the Fellowship, Cohort, Service, Special Projects

Fellowship Reflections: Interview Between Current and Alumni Museum of Science Fellows

Jocelyn Poste is a current Fellow at the Museum of Science. She recently interviewed Kira Azulay, an alumni Fellow, and her alumni mentor, who remained on with the Museum of Science after her Fellowship ended in 2023 as an Education Associate. Jocelyn and Kira discuss Kira’s time at the Museum of Science, Fellowship memories, the importance of supporting youth, and more.

Kira now works for The Philanthropic Trust in Boston.

 

Jocelyn Poste, current Fellow: What do you do in your current position in the Museum of Science’s In-Gallery Learning Department?

Kira Azulay, alumni Fellow: Most of my work is centered on Youth Programs, which attracts high schoolers / students aged of 14 to 19 to the Museum in various ways. In the summer this can look like running our Summer Youth Intern program. In the academic year, this can be school partnerships. We have a longstanding partnership with Fenway high school where we have weekly a group of juniors come, and we do a science exploration curriculum here at the Museum. We also have larger events called our High School Science Series (HSSS) where we’ll invite Massachusetts and greater New England area students and teachers from high schools to come to the Museum for a day of exploration around a specific science topic such as: Artificial Intelligence, Chemistry, or Climate Change. A lot of different work like this, but we also do general education in the museum, so we support the education team by doing live animal shows, as well as facilitating drop-in activities. There’s a lot of variety.

You definitely get out of the Fellowship what you put into it.

JP: What did your direct service consist of as a Fellow?

KA: A lot of my direct service was the education that we’re doing on the floor like developing a live animal show and then presenting that. Working with visitors in in the halls, but also going out to the community with the community engagement department and doing drop-in activities. For example, we hosted vaccine clinics, which we turned into celebrations of science and brought activities and try to make it a joyful experience. Or going to Horizons for Homeless Children and we would do more activities for very young learners. Also, working with our high school juniors from Fenway High School every week, where we were developing a curriculum for them to explore science identity and specific science topics. It was very hands-on, working closely with a group of about 20 students.

JP: What did your special project consist of?

KA: At the beginning, my special project was researching about a youth leadership council and how that had been implemented at other institutions, then looking into how that would work at the Museum of Science. I think that because of the transition period the Museum was in post-COVID, it was not feasible to make that happen within my Fellowship time. While there’s a lot of excitement around [youth leadership councils], it takes a lot of stakeholders, so that process is complicated, but I did get to learn a lot about youth leadership opportunities. I learned how other institutions have been doing it and how they have been inviting youth into their institutions and getting them involved in a way that is more individual and not just being brought as part of a school or class. I also got involved with the Cambridge Youth Community, as well as youth workers communities, like a group called Reaching All Youth which is a monthly get-together of people that interact with youth in Cambridge in different capacities. That experience was beneficial.

Since we decided that instituting a youth leadership council was going to be difficult and not going to happen within the next academic year, my special project pivoted to running the High School Science Series and trying to create accessible opportunities. Our first couple ended up being virtual, so I was a moderator for one. We worked on getting subtitles for those and getting an ASL interpreter, and we ended up doing live captioning in English and Spanish which was important. Then, I took on more responsibility by running a whole High School Science Series myself, which I did in my second year once we had held one in person, which would have been October 2022.

JP: Do you have any favorite memories from your time as a Fellow?

KA: I think all Fellows might say this, but I really loved the retreats. I think that especially during COVID, that connection was important and the Fellowship component of having a cohort had a really big impact on my experience. I loved getting to connect with other Fellows in person because there’s not really a substitute even though we had Zoom meetings and trainings. In person connection was special and I feel like we created connections and friendships that were important. I keep in touch with all the Fellows, and especially Ryan, who’s in Boston. I think it was fun and it was good to hear other perspectives about what is happening at other types of institutions.

The Museum of Science is a bit of a different host organization from some of the others, and so it was interesting to hear about smaller or bigger places and what the other Fellows’ experiences were with their supervisor, how they were navigating problems, and whether we could share experiences around that. Also, getting to see New York and Philly and just getting to be in those places was nice.

JP: What was your most valuable takeaway from your experience as an FAO Schwarz Fellow?

KA: The youth are the future! I think people can be intimidated by and underestimate youth at the same time. Teens are people and you should treat them as such. I think treating them with the respect and understanding, that I would any other person any other adult, has gone a long way in building relationships with them. They are not kids, and they are still learning, but as an educator, we are there to support and guide their learning.

Something that is important and valuable is that the youth have a voice and they have opinions. You can have conversations with them that you might not be able to have with a younger learner. It’s a good thing to get the perspective of teens and see what they think. Everyone is coming in with their own life experiences and people show up differently, so I have had to learn that not everyone’s learning or listening style looks the same. I had my own preconceptions of what it looks like for students to be paying attention and engaged and that may not always be the case, so I have had to learn a lot from the youth. If you talk to the students they’ll tell you, “Hey, I have a lot going on right now so what would be best for me is just sitting over here and I’ll listen,” or talking to them about their interests.

They are interesting and fully formed people and are capable of a lot more than people think. They just need the like trust and support to do it, but they can do cool things. The youth at the Museum have done like a lot of projects here that are interesting to me, and they come up with and execute these ideas themselves. For example, we had interns over the summer that made an educational activity to talk about wildfires and different things about the ecology of wildfires. They make these different things that are so cool, unique, creative, and are effective at communicating and teaching. It was amazing to see what they could do in just seven weeks. They just needed the space to do that, so it’s been exciting and energizing and a cool experience to watch the youth do amazing things and see them grow over time.

JP: Do you have any advice for current/incoming/prospective Fellows?

KA: You definitely get out of the Fellowship what you put into it, and there are some important things that can impact it. You want to have a good relationship with your supervisor, and I think that is a huge factor in how your Fellowship goes, so you want to make sure that you’re communicating with them and that they are an advocate for you. Related to that, if you are excited about things and intentionally participate, then you’ll have a good experience. If something is not working for you, speak up and you can change things—this is good career advice outside of the Fellowship as well. I know there are Fellows who have worked with their supervisor to take on projects to explore different interests.

Also, huge advice, talk to Priscilla! She is a great advocate for all the Fellows, and she really cares, so I know that she’ll be a resource and will do whatever she can to be supportive. Priscilla will do anything in her power to support your success.

Be brave! Apply!

JP: If you could describe your Fellowship experience in 3 words, what would it be?

KA: Growth, Supportive, Fun (Honorary mention: Grateful)

JP: Having Kira as an alum mentor and working alongside her has taught me a lot, both personally and professionally. Kira has contributed endless efforts during her time at the Museum of Science, as an FAO Schwarz fellow and post-fellowship. I know Kira will bring even more creativity, energy, and wisdom in this next journey of hers!


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Jocelyn Poste

Jocelyn (she/her) is the FAO Schwarz Fellow at the Museum of Science in Boston.

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June 20, 2024 In Service, Special Projects

An Unforgettable Experience: Reflecting on Two Years as a Fellow at Audubon Mid-Atlantic

Sophie Becker-Klein completed her Fellowship with Audubon Mid-Atlantic in Philadelphia in July 2024. She remained with the organization, serving as Senior Coordinator, Conservation Education. 

In the past two years, I have established a deep connection between Audubon Mid-Atlantic at the Discovery Center and four schools in Philadelphia, three of which are in Strawberry Mansion, the neighborhood where the Discovery Center lies. When I started as a fellow, we had established connections with two schools, one of those being in Strawberry Mansion. In this role, I have created the opportunity for Audubon to increase their engagement in their target neighborhood threefold. 

I have just completed my last week of lessons for this school year. This marks the second full year of lessons for the Community Partnership School, John B. Kelly School, and Dr. Ethel Allen School. This also marks the first full year of lessons at Edward Gideon School, a connection I made with alumni fellow Gregory Wright ‘13. 

These past two years have seen me grow into a more confident educator and birder, as well as a leader.

I created four lesson plans per school year, for a total of 8 lesson plans. However, in teaching five to six grades at each school, I tailored each of these lessons to each grade level based on their curriculum and learning levels. These lesson plans can now be used by Audubon Mid-Atlantic for any future lessons, whether I or another educator is teaching them. 

I have taught every class of every grade, kindergarten through fifth grade at two schools, and every class of every grade, pre-K through fifth grade at the other two schools. Each class received four lessons in a row from me, allowing us to create a lesson arc that I believe achieved my goal in my last update of “fostering a love of nature as well as a care for the environment while getting students excited about science.” I have had conversations with many administrators and educators about the transition from myself into the next fellow, and while many were disappointed that ‘Ms. Sophie’ would not be returning in the same capacity, they were excited that the program would go on. 

This summer, I will be taking on the role of Senior Coordinator for Conservation Education at Audubon Mid-Atlantic and I look forward to growing within the organization. One of the most exciting aspects of staying on at Audubon is the chance to see the program I piloted grow and change as the next FAO Schwarz Fellow steps into the role. It was a joy for me to be part of the hiring process for the next fellow and I look forward to mentoring officially through the Foundation as well as through my new role at Audubon. 

As we move into the summer months and the last month of my fellowship shifts away from school programs and into field trips and summer programs, I look both back on my experience as a fellow and forward to my upcoming experience as an alumni mentor and my role at Audubon. 

These past two years have seen me grow into a more confident educator and birder, as well as a leader. I look forward to continuing to grow as I move beyond the FAO Schwarz Fellowship, but I will take with me the wonderful connections that I have made and the support I have received from the fellowship community.

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Sophie Becker-Klein

Sophie Becker-Klein (she/her) is an FAO Schwarz Fellow at Audubon Mid-Atlantic's Discovery Center in Philadelphia.

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June 17, 2024 In Service, Special Projects

Reflecting on Hidden Voices of New York City: AAPI Month 

During the second semester of each school year, my fellow educators at MCNY and I host an online student webinar series titled Hidden Voices of New York City. The series consists of monthly free virtual workshops designed for students in grades 3-5 that highlight and honor the individual and collective experiences of a diverse swath of New Yorkers. Each month has a different theme and features three different New York City-based activists. As May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, a time to celebrate and reflect on the contributions, achievements, and struggles of the AAPI community, the Hidden Voices series for the month not only celebrated the rich diversity of AAPI cultures but also highlighted the inspiring work of AAPI activists who have made significant strides in advocating for social justice and equity.

Researching the figures was particularly rewarding because I spent time looking at many primary and secondary sources from MCNY’s collection and several digital archives.

Our May program highlighted three individuals – Wong Chin Foo, Yuri Kochiyama, and Vishavjit Singh. Students gained insights into the experiences, challenges, and triumphs of these remarkable individuals. For example, with Wong Chin Foo (1847-1898), students learned about the Chinese American community during the period of Chinese exclusion and how Wong used writing to combat stereotypes. Yuri Kochiyama (1921-2014) was a Japanese American civil rights activist, internment survivor, and friend of Malcolm X whose story introduced students to the idea of solidarity through her participation in multiple social justice and human rights movements. Lastly, with Vishvajit Singh (1972 – ), students learned about a contemporary activist, Sikh American cartoonist and author who created the persona “Sikh Captain America” to fight against stereotypes and promote better representation for his community. 

It was a privilege to both write the script for and facilitate the May programs. Researching the figures was particularly rewarding because I spent time looking at many primary and secondary sources from MCNY’s collection and several digital archives. It was also fun to create the narrative for our program with my colleagues that would be accessible to 3-5th graders but also address the struggles and gravity of their stories. Throughout each program, students engaged thoughtfully and enthusiastically with our questions and prompts for reflection. I was inspired by how much these 3-5th graders already knew about our Hidden Voices, and grateful that I shared new information with them as well. While I am sad that this was the last time I will facilitate the Hidden Voices series, I am honored to have been part of a program that uplifts individuals whose stories have too often been “hidden” from the traditional historical record, but whose lives and legacies continue to shape our collective history and identity in the city.

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Natalia Wang

Natalia (she/they) is the FAO Schwarz Fellow at the Museum of the City of New York.

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Feature image by Filip Wolak for the Museum of the City of New York.

June 12, 2024 In Beyond the Fellowship, Service, Special Projects

Nothing Short of Life-Changing: A Reflection on Two Years as a Fellow at NYC Audubon

When I began my fellowship on July 12, 2022, I knew I was interested in the world of urban wildlife, but lacked direction and a point of view. Not to mention, I knew nothing about birds. Throughout my time with NYC Audubon, I have been given opportunities to learn about urban wild bird conservation, develop my own perspective and questions, and practice my developing expertise as a social scientist of urban wildlife conservation.

My position at NYC Audubon has been split into two distinct but related halves: Advocacy and Engagement. These halves have also served as a distinction between my Special Project and Direct Service work. My Special Project has been developing NYC Audubon’s advocacy initiatives for city- and state-level bird-friendly legislation. My Direct Service work has involved engaging directly with the public at NYC Audubon’s seasonal environmental center on Governors Island. 

My experience as an FAO Schwarz Fellow and a member of the team at NYC Audubon has been nothing short of life-changing.

Over the past two years, I have built out advocacy campaigns, organized rallies, testified at New York City Council, worked with elected officials, and engaged thousands of New Yorkers in taking action for wild birds. I am most proud of my work with Dustin Partridge, PhD—NYC Audubon’s Director of Conservation and Science—to research and write a guidance memo on drone light shows for the Mayor’s Office, which will soon be drafted into city-wide legislation to protect birds and people from the harmful effects of artificial light at night. I have also developed, coordinated, and conducted nature—and conservation—related programming for children and families on Governors Island and developed the analytical groundwork with which to measure progress as NYC Audubon continues developing bird outings and programming that engage the whole city and reflect the organization’s commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Accessibility. 

With the development of experience and knowledge from the Fellowship, I acquired research assistantships with faculty from Rutgers University and Colorado State University to better understand the formation of hemispheric approaches to shorebird conservation, which will result in at least one published academic paper, a conference presentation in Canada, and a research trip to observe shorebird migration—and the people who study it—at the Delaware Bay this May. And, after a long and tasking application process, I am thrilled and honored to begin my PhD in Environmental Psychology at The Graduate Center at CUNY this fall. I plan to study the political ecology of queer cruising geographies in New York City as habitat for wild birds and sites of contestation between people and institutions/agencies. I will also continue to work at NYC Audubon part-time in a new role mainly devoted to advocacy.

My experience as an FAO Schwarz Fellow and a member of the team at NYC Audubon has been nothing short of life-changing. I’m looking forward to seeing the ways in which this experience continues to guide me in my career.

 

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Jesse McLaughlin

Jesse (he/him) is the Advocacy & Engagement FAO Schwarz Fellow at NYC Bird Alliance (formerly NYC Audubon).

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March 11, 2024 In Service

The Power of Field Trips

Most of my direct service consists of teaching interactive, fun and meaningful field trips for K-12 students in the Museum of the City of New York’s special and ongoing exhibitions. Through teaching, I have come to understand the impact that museum field trips and museum education at large provide for students. 

I have seen students really respond to seeing themselves or their stories represented in the Museum’s objects because many view museums as the representation of a community and its values.

Seeing real objects from the past, close-up and in person, is a powerful way for students to understand that the past was as real and material as their lives now. During the field trips, students see some of the objects that are part of the Museum’s collection, some of which are quite old. A question I always get from students while looking at these older objects in galleries is: “Are these things real?” When I respond that they are, the students’ reactions range from awe, to disbelief, and to curiosity, to name a few. There is something special about looking at an artifact up close and in person, especially when so much learning and life takes place on digital platforms. 

Field trips are impactful because students are prompted for personal reflection. I have seen students really respond to seeing themselves or their stories represented in the Museum’s objects because many view museums as the representation of a community and its values. In one of our galleries that speaks to the diversity of New York City, we have a guira, a percussion instrument from the Dominican Republic. I have had many students on field trips get so excited when they see the instrument because they recognize what it is and want to share their knowledge with me and the class.  Students also see other stories or experiences that may differ from their own lives during field trips, helping them become more self-aware and understanding of others. 

Finally, field trips are impactful because they provide students with a one-of-a-kind experience. I did not go on many field trips growing up but for the ones I went on, I still remember where I went, what I did, and what I learned, all while having fun. During field trips at the Museum, students participate in hands-on learning that is inquiry-based and driven by the objects they see in the space which can be different from how they learn in the classroom. They also serve as a supplement to the material they are learning in class, reinforcing what they’ve already learned or will learn within a different context. 

These are just some of the ways that field trips are impactful for students of all ages – I could go on for a while! I love teaching field trips and can’t wait for the many more I will do this school year as my direct service work. 

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Natalia Wang

Natalia (she/they) is the FAO Schwarz Fellow at the Museum of the City of New York.

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January 28, 2024 In Service, Social Impact

Why I Chose Breakthrough as My Host Organization

When I was admitted into college, I could not express how unpredictable my journey up to that point was. Little did I know that, at a point when I thought I had a general idea of what my life would look like during and after my time in higher education, I would encounter the same unpredictability.

I was raised in an area where schools didn’t always have the most resources to cater to their students. During my time in elementary school, in parent-teacher conferences, my teachers would consistently express to my parents how they should pull me out of my current school and get me to apply to magnet schools, if not move to another district area. Initially, my family was able to get me to another school district for my fourth-grade year. The difference was immediately noticeable in the sheer amount of resources that the school and teachers had at their disposal. The school I attended had an ‘Exemplary Campus Distinction’ that followed them for years, indicating that the students performed highly academically. Unfortunately, it wasn’t sustainable for me to continue my education at that school, so I returned to my designated elementary school to finish my time there, all while looking into and applying to magnet schools to continue my middle school education. 

[Breakthrough's] devotion to long-term support for students, focusing on low-income students of color in sixth grade through college, is something that I wish I had growing up.

I completed the remainder of my middle and high school years in magnet schools. While my time in these schools proved to be very stress-inducing, challenging, and overwhelming, it overall prepared me for the standardized tests that would prove useful when applying to college. They also exposed us to many opportunities to grow professionally, from partnerships they had with outside organizations/institutions to providing us with courses diving into specialized topics of our choosing that we wouldn’t otherwise find in other schools. They taught us to write resumes, cover letters, answer college admissions questions, how to conduct ourselves in interviews, etc. As a first-generation student, these schools became a learning ground for both my family and me. 

All of that being said, it also was a very toxic space to be in. These schools train students to excel academically and do everything possible to present an impressive profile for recruiters, whether for college or their careers. However, they failed to create an environment where students were seen beyond their grades and achievements, they failed to create a space that allows for a student to view themselves holistically. I remember the competitiveness of students with one another reaching boiling points, with rankings hinging on minute differences in overall GPA between students. Some students who transferred out of these schools even managed to rank #1 in their designated public schools, a stark contrast to their standing within the competitive environment.

After being admitted into college, some of my colleagues and I, as first-gen students of color, imagined ourselves pursuing medical or law school, aspiring to become successful professionals in our respective fields. After having a long conversation with myself, and really questioning the reasoning behind my actions, I realized my passions didn’t align with medicine or law. So, I began to explore other areas of interest and found myself studying Anthropology and Race and Ethnicity Studies for the remainder of my time in college. In my final year, I focused my capstone project on the reproduction of whiteness in higher education institutions, with a specific focus on the Hispanic and Latinx communities. Through the project, I was able to reflect on my own experience, as well as interview others to gather narratives of everyone’s journey through the education system. 

My path post-graduation didn’t become clear until less than a month before attending my commencement ceremony. I remember the anxiety when thinking about my next steps and whether I would even find something that would fulfill me and allow me to continue to grow. I knew that I would be interested in joining a non-profit organization, but then found myself debating what cause I would search for. In my search, I came across the FAO Schwarz Fellowship and found myself intrigued by Breakthrough Greater Boston. Their devotion to long-term support for students, focusing on low-income students of color in sixth grade through college, is something that I wish I had growing up. The organization takes the valuable resources of magnet schools while eliminating the toxic competitiveness and individualistic mindset, and emphasizing key values like spirit and student-centeredness. I chose Breakthrough, as it was a natural transition toward my interests and future aspirations. 

Since being at Breakthrough, I have learned a lot of things that I did not even throughout my time in college. As my time in the fellowship is coming to a close, I find myself in a similar position as I have in the past, uncertain of what’s to come. What’s different now is that I’ve learned to live with uncertainty, embracing what’s to come in this next chapter of my life and carrying with me all the lessons I’ve learned along the way. Breakthrough has let me have a hand in college success work, engage in programming throughout the school year and summer, delve into development and operations, and foster alumni relations. Although my future remains uncertain, I feel better equipped to tackle what comes next as I continue pursuing my interest in the social impact sector.

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Juan Mojica

Juan Mojica (he/him) is the College Success & Alumni Coordinator FAO Schwarz Fellow at Breakthrough Greater Boston.

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Jocelyn gives a talk on stage at a Museum of Science event.
December 17, 2023 In Service, Special Projects

Steps to Belonging: From Visitor to Educator

Just 10 minutes away from the Museum of Science in Boston is one of my most memorable places growing up, the city of Chelsea. Although a small city, it is packed with an abundance of people and places to experience. From a great view of the Boston skyline to the amazing food found on every corner, it has its perks. However, one of the best advantages of growing up in Chelsea was being just a short ride away from Boston, and specifically the Museum of Science. I can clearly recall the field trips that I had to the Museum. I got to experience “Night at the Museum” twice with their overnight program, and I would spend hours at Science in the Park with my family whenever we visited. One of my favorite parts of the Museum was getting to visit the chicks that were already, or soon to be, hatched. Having visited numerous times, I did not think it could get better.

Something important that I have learned throughout the past couple of months is how to make the Museum a place where everyone feels like they belong, no matter their background.

Fast forward some years later, with experience working in Education and having graduated with a degree in Anthropology and Biology, when looking for a job post-grad, I was primarily interested in finding a job in informal education, preferably in the STEM field. And, loving where I grew up and the experiences that I had, I immediately went to see if the Museum of Science in Boston was hiring. You can imagine my excitement when I found out about the FAO Schwarz Fellowship role at the Museum. The excitement did not just come from the fact of where I would be working, but also because of the mission behind both the Fellowship organization and the host organization. The Museum of Science’s mission “to inspire a lifelong love of science in everyone”, in unison with what the FAO Schwarz Fellowship and foundation stand for: social impact, leadership, and education. Both reinforced one of my values: education and science should be accessible to anyone and everyone. 

Taking on the role of the new FAO Schwarz Fellow at the Museum of Science caused that excitement to turn into joy. Since starting in June of 2023, I have been able to do what it is that I am passionate about, every day. I have collaborated with different departments throughout the Museum to better support our Summer Youth Interns. I got to plan and lead my first High School Science Series focused on Artificial Intelligence. I even got to work with ferrets to promote my first live animal presentation about “Why Do Animals Make Us Happy?” Being able to experience what it takes to put all these events and shows together is an inspiring opportunity. 

One of my favorite events that I found truly inspiring, from both a visitor and educator standpoint, was our Hispanic and Latinx Heritage weekend celebration in October, an event I heavily and proudly supported. From securing guest speakers to performance groups to creating a bilingual activity for the weekend, the hard work that was put into this event was noteworthy. To me, the most important part of this weekend was being able to see myself, my small city of Chelsea, and other people of Hispanic and Latinx heritage, belong at the Museum of Science through the celebration of our cultures. This has not always been the case, but I am glad it is now. This is only one of the various heritage weekend celebrations that the Museum has committed to furthering.

Something important that I have learned throughout the past couple of months is how to make the Museum a place where everyone feels like they belong, no matter their background. Thinking back to my time as a visitor, experiencing the joy of learning and seeing the live shows, there are some aspects that I would have appreciated having at the Museum, such as heritage weekend celebrations or bilingual exhibits. But now, as an educator at the Museum of Science, being able to contribute to that change, and to create a more inclusive and accessible Museum means a lot to me, and to all our visitors. I know that eight-year-old Jocelyn, eating her rock candy from the Museum gift shop, would be ecstatic to learn that life as a visitor at the Museum of Science can get better. Just ask those who work there.

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Jocelyn Poste

Jocelyn (she/her) is the Youth Programs, Community Engagement Department FAO Schwarz Fellow at the Museum of Science in Boston.

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November 30, 2023 In Service, Social Impact, Uncategorized

Classroom Inequality: Bridging the Gap at Breakthrough

​​Pursuing a Fellowship at Breakthrough Greater Boston was a natural next step after college, given my passion for alleviating classroom inequality. Majoring in sociology ignited my passion and revealed a sense of connection to the field as I pursued an undergraduate degree. My studies uncovered many social patterns that contributed to personal challenges I originally thought affected me by chance. As a Black, second-generation immigrant from a working-class, single-parent household, I recognized my own experiences with sociological concepts. The connection between child-rearing styles, socio-economic status, and classroom inequality was a particularly interesting topic that provided an explanation for the challenges I faced as an underrepresented minority attending a predominantly white institution. 

As I assist in middle school programming, interacting with students who attend the same middle and high school I graduated from... it often feels surreal to contribute to the outcomes of students that I see myself within.

Literature on classroom inequality suggests there is a causal link between a family’s socioeconomic status, their understanding of classroom expectations, and the way they teach their children to navigate their academics. This can critically affect the course of a student’s education journey, especially when compared to their wealthier peers. To counteract these roots of classroom inequality, programming at Breakthrough involves an intensive academic curriculum from middle to high school, tiered social-emotional development, and exposure to college—with hopes of assisting students in building a college-going identity and skills for college success. Students experience these layers to Breakthrough via afterschool programming in the fall and spring, all before our rigorous summer program. The full day of classes and research-based programs that Breakthrough students complete throughout the six weeks directly combats the achievement gaps that widen during summer vacation. 

Breakthrough’s early academic intervention works to dismantle and replace harmful academic messaging that students may have received, all while celebrating student identities in a close-knit community that values academic and social-emotional health. Breakthrough cultivates a setting in which students foster a personal love of learning and hone their sights on getting to college, where they can feel confident to succeed. Breakthrough’s college success focus encourages academic skills and social behaviors that promote persistence and college graduation. From entering the program in seventh grade to their transition to college, Breakthrough students demonstrate executive functioning, critical thinking, and self-advocacy: skills that working-class students must exhibit to level the unequal grounds of the college classroom. 

With an in-depth understanding of the perpetuation of classroom inequality, Breakthrough’s mission of inspiring enthusiasm for learning as well as creating paths to and through college stood out to me when I was selecting which Fellowship host to apply to. It was important to me that my future host organization was committed to intervening in the academic trajectories of working-class students, allowing them the privileges of their middle-class counterparts through their long-term, life-changing programming. As I assist in middle school programming, interacting with students who attend the same middle and high school I graduated from in my own small community within Boston, it often feels surreal to contribute to the outcomes of students that I see myself within. When I reflect on the role of Breakthrough in my community, I am certain that if I had participated in the program I would have been more prepared to face the stratified challenges of my predominantly white institution. 

Witnessing Breakthrough’s impact firsthand fuels my dedication to shaping positive student outcomes and addressing classroom inequality for future generations. My journey with Breakthrough Greater Boston is not just a Fellowship; it is a commitment to making a lasting impact on the lives of students and fostering a more equitable educational landscape.

Picture of Jahmali Matthews

Jahmali Matthews

Jahmali (she/her) is the Marketing & Communications FAO Schwarz Fellow Breakthrough Greater Boston.

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