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TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – AZ Report Card data shows only one in five Tucson students tests proficient in science, prompting one local high school to sign up for free science labs.
The national nonprofit Engineering Tomorrow provides hands-on learning experiences to students who lack access to traditional lab resources. The organization has reached more than one million students in 6,900 schools nationwide, according to its website.
At Catalina Foothills High, students recently participated in a virtual lab where they built rockets out of balloons, joining thousands of students nationwide in the live science experience.
“You learn way more than you would reading out of a textbook,” said Catalina Foothills junior Clara Bonaime.
Virtual labs reach underserved students
Engineering Tomorrow said it serves underrepresented students in particular. According to its website, Black and Hispanic students who attend a lab are three times more likely to study engineering compared to the national average.
Kelsey Farr, an electrical engineer with Engineering Tomorrow, said the virtual format allows the program to reach more classrooms.
“The virtual labs are great because they are so scalable to reach the students and the schools where they are,” said Farr, who works at Texas Instruments in Tucson.
A recent lab also included a visit from an astronaut, who discussed the importance of teamwork in STEM fields and encouraged students to explore engineering careers.
Teacher emphasizes learning through struggle
Students found the rocket-building exercise challenging.
Sawyer Lazarus, also a Catalina Foothills High junior, said his team struggled initially.
“It was really, really frustrating. We left yesterday in not a great mood because we tried and it wasn’t working, and the balloon kept popping,” Lazarus said.
Viktoriya Yurkiv, a biotechnology teacher at Catalina Foothills High, said the difficulty is intentional.
“My top priority is to make sure to not just learn concepts from books. I really want to make sure they’re enjoying, actually, applying those skills in real life,” Yurkiv said.
Yurkiv moved to the United States from Ukraine during high school without speaking English. She said the experience taught her the value of perseverance.
“I think that was the beginning of me realizing you just have to keep working hard, and eventually you get places you want to be,” Yurkiv said.
To sign up for a lab or live event, visit the Engineering Tomorrow website.
Isabela Lisco is a Report for America corpsmember covering education solutions for 13 News. Her position is made possible through funding from Report for America and the Arizona Local News Foundation’s Arizona Community Collaborative Fund.
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