Collective for Youth Empowerment in STEM & Society (CYESS)

We know access to caring adults and STEM mentors in afterschool is critical for young people to get the experience, skills, and real-world practice to address issues they care about. That's why we're celebrating #MentoringMonth this January.

Join other young leaders in conversation at the Youth Leadership Summit on January 20! With a focus on youth civic engagement, young people can cultivate valuable relationships with like-minded individuals and inspire collective change around the issues they care about most. #YLS25 Registration is free, claim your spot now! https://lnkd.in/e5fbfGN2 National Youth Leadership Council

🌟 What does it take to inspire leadership at every level? 🌟 February 5, from 4:30 - 6pm CST, join us for “Cultivating Changemakers: A Thought Leader Panel Discussion on Youth Leadership” — a FREE, virtual event bringing together young people and adults who are passionate about youth leadership! Meet the speakers: • Shei Ascencio & Dom Verwey, Co-founders of ServeCerebral • Jahnavi Rao, President and Founder of New Voters • Feven Tesfaye, NYLC Youth Advisory Council With facilitation by Madelyn Qayuum, NYLC Youth Advisory Council! 🔗 There's just one month left to register! Reserve your spot now: https://lnkd.in/ehr-DRav #YouthLeadership #ServiceLearning #Panel

Apply to the Digital Well-Being Challenge for the chance to win $1,000, work with expert mentors, and contribute to a digital well-being toolkit for schools across the country! The U.S. Department of Education invites young people ages 13+ and the schools that serve them to co-design innovative approaches and strategies for addressing healthy social media use, digital citizenship education, and responsible technology policies! Closing January 9: https://lnkd.in/eGatpKEd

At #1 in our 2024 countdown, we're reliving the first in-person #CYESS convening! We are so privileged to be joined by dedicated partners in this space, representing unique STEM disciplines and diverse communities. Together, we are able to ensure youth are active contributors to societal decision-making processes that impact their future! We look forward to continuing this work in 2025 and beyond.

CYESS was busy in 2024, but so were our incredible partners! The California Academy of Sciences developed Youth Action for the Planet (YAP), a youth-led program that puts student voices front and center in the conversation around climate action and conservation. The Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) introduced a free curriculum for out-of-school time practitioners to facilitate youth-led exploration, research, and advocacy around ocean sustainability. And so much more! Check out the full suite of blogs from our #CYESS partners: https://lnkd.in/e8hdeN8G

At #3 in our 2024 countdown, we have our #CYESS Survey Dashboard. This dashboard offers a look into the current landscape of afterschool STEM programs offering community engagement and youth empowerment opportunities—and the strategies they're implementing! Check out the dashboard or find out how you can contribute to the data! https://lnkd.in/exsyDiBK

In 2024, we released our Resource Database—that deserves a spot at #4 in our countdown! Our searchable database offers curriculum, professional development, and research at the intersection of STEM, Civic Engagement, and youth empowerment, designed for out-of-school time programs at all stages of their youth voice journey. Browse the database or bookmark for later: https://lnkd.in/eahRBxDt

It's been a busy year for us. Join us in counting down to the new year with the top five moments at the Collective for Youth Empowerment in STEM & Society (CYESS). 💪 At #5, we have the development of our Theory of Change! We're working to convene STEM-based civic engagement program practitioners, including young leaders, to leverage their expertise in engaging youth with STEM in afterschool settings to be civically engaged. See how we're keeping ourselves accountable.

The U.S. Department of Education invites young people ages 13+ and the schools that serve them to co-design innovative approaches and strategies for addressing healthy social media use, digital citizenship education, and responsible technology policies! Read more about Digital Well-Being Challenge and how you can apply today. Challenge closes January 9: https://lnkd.in/eGatpKEd