Research suggests that Staus et al. (2020) declining STEM interest may not be the norm for youth who are historically excluded from STEM and that typically youth enter middle school interested in STEM but opt out over time or lose their self-esteem toward STEM and as a result do not see themselves as a STEM-oriented individual. Similarly, research has shown it is not uncommon for youth to avoid or switch out of certain fields due to feelings of exclusion and discrimination—or even just anticipated feelings of exclusion, not belonging, and potential discrimination in a field (Astorne-Figari & Speer, 2018). The Charles River Collaboratory exists to be a space where youth, who may not consider themselves a STEM person, can engage with STEM through social and environmental justice lenses with their peers in an space where their voice is valued.

The Collaboratory utilizes a near-peer mentoring approach to support youth’s sense of belonging and the sense that they are in fact a STEM individual and that they not only have the capacity to do STEM but that they have the capacity to excel at STEM.  It is important that the youth have sufficient opportunity to build their confidence in doing STEM and be re-affirmed both that they can do challenging STEM work and that they not only belong in a STEM space but they are welcome.

We strive to (1) create safe learning spaces where different values, beliefs, skills, and lived experiences are not just important but critical to solving the problems at hand; (2) create a learning space that focuses on building authentic and trusting relationships; (3) encourage risk taking, mistake-making, and imagination leading to co-constructed meaningful learning experiences; and (4) create a space where youth trust that everyone have the best interests for them in mind.