Supporting
Science Education
Supporting
Science Education
JMZ Science Outreach
Since 1999, the Friends has funded the JMZ Science Outreach Program in schools in East Palo Alto and eastern Menlo Park. Today, JMZ Science Outreach has grown to include schools in Redwood City and ensures that students in under-resourced schools receive the same high-quality in-school science lessons as their peers in Palo Alto Unified School District (PAUSD).
Each year, JMZ Science Outreach, funded by the Friends, brings hands-on science to:
LUMINARY
$5,000+
90 classrooms
3,500 students
Over 450 lessons
delivered
Over 450
lessons
delivered
Classrooms participating in JMZ Science Outreach funded by the Friends work with a dedicated JMZ Educator to receive Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)-aligned science lessons covering biology, physics, earth sciences, animal encounters, and more. JMZ Educators supply all of the necessary materials for each student with no prep time required for classroom instructors, ensuring that participation is accessible for teachers in resource-strained classrooms with limited time.
Continuous funding of JMZ Science Outreach builds a foundation of scientific knowledge for students in kindergarten through 5th grade. When students participate in hands-on science lessons year after year, they deepen their understanding over time and begin to see themselves in science, not as spectators, but as people who belong in it.
JMZ Science With A Twist
In 2021, the Friends began partnering with the JMZ to deliver engaging, hands-on science enrichment to the Boys & Girls Club of the Peninsula. What started as a single site partnership has now expanded to five program sites across East Palo Alto and Redwood City.
By funding the JMZ’s after-school Science With a Twist program in community settings, children get to explore natural phenomena in a relaxed, welcoming environment. For children who also participate in JMZ Science Outreach, the experience sparks connections between science learning across different parts of their day and in spaces they already know and love.
JMZ Science Camp Scholarships
The Friends fund scholarships for children to participate in the JMZ’s on-site science camp, including post-camp care, and Science Camp Assistant roles.
Through active partnerships with local nonprofits and community organizations, we work to remove financial and logistical barriers for families from East Palo Alto, eastern Menlo Park, and Redwood City. Supporting access to the JMZ’s summer programs helps all families feel a sense of belonging to the JMZ and creates an additional pathway for children to explore, discover, and develop a lifelong love of science.