Precollege Programs

School Year Programs: Middle School (6-8)

STEM Academy
Grades: K-12
A nonprofit community-based program, offering enriched educational opportunities, especially in science, math, and technology to middle and high school students. Classes are taught by experts in the community and held at the host business, college, or agency. STEM Academy is open to all motivated students and offers classes and programs all year long. Saturday Academy programs include the Apprenticeships in Science and Engineering (ASE) program, the Advocates for Women in Science, Engineering, and Math (AWSEM) program, Engineering Camp, Lego Robotics Workshops, and a Science Mentorship program.
Contact: Cathy Law, 541-737-1822 email

KidSpirit Youth Programs
Grades: K-12
KidSpirit, which is sponsored by the College of Health and Human Sciences, offers year-round programs for children ages 2 years through high school. School year programs include recreational gymnastics and Girls on the Run, a curriculum based running program for girls grades 3-8. During the summer, KidSpirit offers a Summer Day Camp which has programs designed for grades K-12. Specialty programs in the summer include SKIES (Spirited Kids in Engineering and Sciences), Chefs in Motion, Pottery, First Aid and CPR training, and Rock Climbing. KidSpirit also offers parties year round, options include gym games, gymnastics, archery, swimming, or your own customized birthday blast!
Contact: KidSpirit 541-737-KIDS(5437) email

4-H Youth Development
Grades: K-12
4-H helps young people learn and grow through an intentional process that builds competence, confidence, connection, compassion, and character. Currently, more than 100,000 young people across Oregon participate in 4-H. Leadership and oversight of 4-H at the local level is provided by a faculty member of Oregon State University who lives or works in the community they serve. The work of 4-H is accomplished through a network of 5000 volunteers, parents, and paid staff who conduct learning experiences in out-of-school, after-school, and in-school settings.
Contact: Pati Craven 541-737-1324 email

Hatfield Marine Science Center Education Programs
Grades: K-12
Hatfield offers programs for Preschool through High school, from summer day camps to hands on labs and field activities during the school year.
Contact: Kathryn Hawes 541-867-0233 email

STEPs: Scientists and Teachers in Education Partnerships
Grades: K-12
The STEPs program is a K-12 science outreach program whose mission is to support and improve science, math, health, and engineering education for K-12 teachers and students throughout the state of Oregon. STEPs fulfills its mission by offering professional development workshops in all areas of science, loaning classroom sets of equipment related to workshop topics, assisting school districts with STEM curriculum materials development, publishing curriculum on-line, hosting family math and science nights and science outreach events in communities and hosting high school science class visits at Oregon State University
Contact: Kari van Zee, email

The Science and Math Investigative Learning Experiences Program (SMILE)
Grades: K-12+
A pre-college program for historically underrepresented and other educationally under served students in Oregon. This program focuses on college recruitment through science and math enrichment.
Contact: Ryan Collay, email

Wave Research Laboratory Tours
Grades: K-12
The O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory strives to expose students of all ages to engineering and research with programs such as guided tours though the wave lab. These tours, guided by knowledgeable faculty, and graduate students, include an introduction to basic wave mechanics, demonstrations of the wave lab equipment and experiments being conducted in the laboratory. Tours can range from 20-45 min and the WRL will work with teachers to develop meaningful and exciting lesson plans for the tour.
Contact: Alicia Lyman-Holt 541-737-3665 email

Chemistry Outreach
Grades: K-12
The Department of Chemistry has an active program to bring chemistry to the local community. Through the Outreach Committee, opportunities are available to tour labs, do hands-on experiments, and have chemistry faculty and students to bring chemistry to schools.
Contact: Margie Haak 541-737-6716 email

Recruitment and Retention of Women and Minorities in Engineering
Grades: K-12
Committed to bringing more woman and minorities to OSU to become tomorrow's engineers through our three pronged approach of Recruitment, Retention and Research. Activities include K-12 school visits, sponsoring teacher/career counselor workshops, OSU Engineering tours, developing lesson plans for K-12 classes.
Contact: Ellen Momsen, (541) 737-9699 email

Oregon Space Grant
Grades: K-12
OSGC maintains a diverse array of programs to support space science and engineering education from middle school through graduate school. Through educational and community outreach opportunities, Oregon Space Grant aims to help develop a strong science, mathematics, and technology education base at all educational levels.
Contact: Catherine Lanier, 541-737-9944 email

Inner City Youth Institute
Grades: 6-12
A collaborative partnership of the Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Bureau of Land Management, and OSU 4-H Youth Development. Through school year activities based in Portland, and summer programs at the Salem 4-H Center and OSU campus, the Inner City Youth Institute encourages Portland youth to explore higher education and careers in the natural sciences. The Inner City Youth Institute promotes safe outdoor learning environments, and creates unique mentorship opportunities with natural resource professionals.
Contact: Alice Philips, 503-821-1125 email

Discovering the Scientist Within
Grades: 6-8
A free Saturday workshop designed to introduce middle school girls to careers in science, technology and engineering. The workshop includes hands-on activities and the opportunity to meet successful women engineers, doctors, veterinarians, research scientists, and university professors. This year, the hands-on activities are designed for students only. Parents are invited to attend our welcome session.
Contact: Joan Stempniak, 541-737-9424 email

Campus Field Trips
Grades: 5-8
The Office of Precollege Programs annually hosts students, generally in grades 6-8, plus teachers and parents for a day on campus intended to encourage underrepresented and minority students to go to college. Groups generally spend between 2-4 hours at OSU: they tour campus with an undergraduate peer mentor, eat lunch in a dining hall, visit a cultural center or stop by an athletic facility, and have a customized presentation and/or hands-on activity presented by a faculty member, staff, or students meant to enhance school curriculum as well as expose students to potential majors or careers.
Contact: Program Coordinator, 541-737-9424 email

Intercultural Student Services Outreach
Grades: 5-12
The primary foci of the American Indian Initiatives, Asian & Pacific Islander American Student Services, Casa Latina/o de OSU, and the Ujima Education Office is the access and retention of traditionally underrepresented students at Oregon State University. ISS performs culturally sensitive and specific outreach and recruitment to underrepresented precollege students who represent 100% of our target ethnic communities.
Contact: Alison Davis-White Eyes email