Holiday festivities are in full swing and thanks to your support the Fleet is celebrating another successful year!

 

Over the last several months we have been sharing stories with you about our growing work in communities across San Diego County. 52 Weeks of Science has completed its first year reaching nearly 5,000 individuals in Barrio Logan and will expand both locally and potentially nationally in the coming year. BE WiSE (Better Education for Women in Science and Engineering) became part of the Fleet's roster of programs and we are preparing to welcome a new group of 150 middle school girls into this remarkable program. Next month more than 2,500 middle and high school students will attend High Tech Fair, uniting local companies with students on their way to science and technology careers.

 

While we are very excited by how these programs have expanded the impact of your investment in the Fleet, we were recently reminded about the importance of our flagship experience, the Science Center in Balboa Park. Last week we received an email from a young man who was interested in becoming a volunteer here at the Fleet. He was motivated not just by his interest in science but by what the Fleet has meant to him. As a young boy he often found himself bullied and teased by his classmates for his good grades and interest in science. When he found the Fleet however, he told us he felt like he found "a safe place for my inner geek to openly be excited about science." His story reminds us of the power of places like the Fleet to nurture our next generation of scientists, engineers and innovators.

 

As your science center, we are thrilled to offer a variety of programs that allow people of all ages access to the power and possibilities of science both at the Fleet and in their community. Your financial support allows us to reach beyond the walls of the Science Center-into schools, neighborhoods and communities-enabling us to transform the Fleet from a park museum to a San Diego countywide organization devoted to building communities rich in science.

 

Please join me in making a commitment to creating a better world by connecting people of all ages to the power and possibilities of science. Give the gift of science today!