Welcome to the
Somers Science Research Foundation Page!
The Somers Science Research Foundation was established to provide parent and community support to the students and faculty of the Science Research program at Somers High School and to ensure the program’s long-term stability and continued success.
Background
The foundation was conceived initially to facilitate the search for mentors for Science Research students. Finding a mentor to oversee and guide a student’s research is a difficult process, not only because of the time constraints and the fact that the pool of potential mentors in some fields is low, but because it is hard for students to initiate and maintain communications with candidates who do not already have established connections to the Somers Science Research program.
The primary goal in establishing the foundation was to cast a broader net by making use of the professional and personal connections of foundation members, the parents and community members of the Science Research students.
By extension, the membership of the foundation became a general “booster club” for the Science Research program. Since the program is a long-term commitment to a shared goal – to introduce and promote scientific research methodology and its associated skills to high school students – the foundation made it its mission to provide the program with financial, material and instrumental support. This includes encouraging younger students who may not yet know of the Science Research program to enroll by actively reaching out to middle school students and high school freshmen.
Current Status
A few years ago, the foundation incorporated as a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. Money donated to the foundation by local businesses and individuals has been used to fund items or events not covered in the district Science Research budget. Examples include:
The foundation members have been providing instrumental support by
As interest in the foundation’s mission grows, we hope to do much more. We’d like to use our funds to help students buy equipment they need to do their research. We’d like to provide assistance to students whose research requires them to travel. Eventually we’d like to offer scholarships to graduating seniors to help them continue their science journeys at the university level.
Please join us!
Background
The foundation was conceived initially to facilitate the search for mentors for Science Research students. Finding a mentor to oversee and guide a student’s research is a difficult process, not only because of the time constraints and the fact that the pool of potential mentors in some fields is low, but because it is hard for students to initiate and maintain communications with candidates who do not already have established connections to the Somers Science Research program.
The primary goal in establishing the foundation was to cast a broader net by making use of the professional and personal connections of foundation members, the parents and community members of the Science Research students.
By extension, the membership of the foundation became a general “booster club” for the Science Research program. Since the program is a long-term commitment to a shared goal – to introduce and promote scientific research methodology and its associated skills to high school students – the foundation made it its mission to provide the program with financial, material and instrumental support. This includes encouraging younger students who may not yet know of the Science Research program to enroll by actively reaching out to middle school students and high school freshmen.
Current Status
A few years ago, the foundation incorporated as a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. Money donated to the foundation by local businesses and individuals has been used to fund items or events not covered in the district Science Research budget. Examples include:
- purchasing a large-format plotter for printing competition posters
- providing a test model of a portable poster stand (now adopted in place of the earlier tri-fold displays)
- responding to students’ request for pointers to use with these stands
- providing a catered lunch for seniors and volunteer proof-readers at the annual RSTS paper-writing lock-in
- hosting Science Research community events, such as the “Smart Cookie” Holiday Social and the end-of-year BBQ
The foundation members have been providing instrumental support by
- attending competition practice talks and providing feed-back
- providing judges for local competitions
- staffing the well-received (and growing) Somers Science Fair
- volunteering to proof-read and edit senior papers at the lock-in
- organizing social events
- manning tables at back-to-school nights
- setting up and breaking down the Science Fair
As interest in the foundation’s mission grows, we hope to do much more. We’d like to use our funds to help students buy equipment they need to do their research. We’d like to provide assistance to students whose research requires them to travel. Eventually we’d like to offer scholarships to graduating seniors to help them continue their science journeys at the university level.
Please join us!
