Dark Skies Bright Kids
I was an active member of the volunteer outreach program Dark Skies Bright Kids (DSBK) a mainly graduate student run program in the University of Virginia Astronomy Department. DSBK primarily reaches out to elementary school students, especially those in socioeconomically under-represented minorities in STEM fields, to teach them about astronomy and get them excited about science. I was also involved in a DSBK team to evaluate DSBK's impact on students through our various activities, and led a paper on our analysis of student's Draw-a-Scientist tests.
Letting kids look (safely) at the sun with solar glasses at our 2016 Gate City Summer Camp
Teaching kids about different wavelengths of light (microwaves here) at our Fall 2017 Astronomy Club at the local Boys and Girls Club
Clubs, Camps, and One-offs
DSBK has a variety of activities that it does to bring science to kids and the public. Two of our big activities that I was involved in are 8-10 week long, once a week after-school clubs (for 3rd-5th graders) at local elementary schools, and 8am-3pm week long summer day camps that reach regions in Virginia that do not typically have access to such programs. In addition, DSBK runs multiple one-off events every year including an annual Albemarle County Star Party, which I have volunteered at in the past few years.
All of our amazing volunteers for the 2017 Albemarle County Star Party
"Funny face" picture with all of the kids and volunteers at the end of our 2018 UVa Wise Summer Camp