Meta Summer Experience (MSX) -- McGaw YMCA

Provides 5th through 7th grade youth (rising 6th - 8th) with the opportunity each morning to experience a STEAM learning environment focused on community, history and storytelling. Through community embedded questions of STEAM, youth will explore the history of the Evanston and their local community guided by mentors, NU faculty and teaching interns that will allow for scaffolding and differentiating literacy learning for individual youth. NU faculty have created the curriculum and will provide professional development for staff and teaching interns.

In the afternoon, youth will be able to participate in optional camp experiences and choose STEAM topics that they want to investigate more deeply. STEAM Mentors will lead youth in such topics as Interactive Storytelling, Coded Beats, Coding, and 8 Bit Bootcamp. All offerings are created in partnership with Northwestern University and Evanston Community Partners.

Priority will be given to: Students who are not yet performing consistently at grade level expectations in reading and/or math. Additional priority will be given to students who qualify for free and reduced lunch. This is an excellent program for students who would benefit from project based learning and/or a different approach to learning applied literacy, math, and STEM skills.

Materials cost: $200
eLEAP cost: $150