January 2021
Grateful for a New Year

The challenges of 2020 have prompted us to greet the New Year with more cheer than ever, hungry to reach better times ahead. Yet these same challenges remind us of all that we have overcome and of those that helped us persevere through what would have seemed insurmountable a year ago. 

Today marks 10 months since we closed our Lab’s doors to the public. Yet thanks to the continued dedication and generosity of our supporters, we never stopped delivering our mission and found entirely new avenues to do so virtually. While our challenges are not over, we enter 2021 stronger because we have and will continue to persevere. We are buoyed by an amazing community of families, foundations and businesses, supporters, and volunteers, who care about our mission and will not let it cease. 

Thank you to all that responded to our “Science Strengthens Communities” appeal, making it our most successful on record. Thank you to all those that continued to support our mission today and our vision for the future science center throughout the dark days of 2020. You proved to us that it goes both ways, that Communities Strengthen Science. 

In gratitude,




Nene Spivy
Executive Director
Children's Science Center
This program is designed to help your child strengthen their connection to STEM as we cover specific topics from the 3rd - 5th grade Virginia State Standards of Learning. Each Monday, we will explore a different topic by experimenting, creating and building, all with materials prepared for them in a kit ready at curbside pickup on January 30th at the Children's Science Center Lab.
Thank a Teacher Contest
Encourage Your Children to Enter

The Virginia Lottery’s Thank a Teacher campaign encourages Virginians to send thank you notecards to educators across the Commonwealth in conjunction with National Teacher Appreciation Week. Since its inception, the notecards have been designed by elementary, middle school, and high school students, and this year, they're continuing the tradition!

Prizes include money for individuals, their school’s art department, and their design featured on thousands of thank-you notes distributed across the state.

Requirements to enter:

• Attend Virginia K-12 public school
• Theme: “thank you”
• Size: 8.5x11” paper or digital
• Keep the original artwork and submit by uploading a photo/image or scan saved
as a PDF or JPEG file

Encourage your K-12 students to enter the Virginia Lottery’s Thank a Teacher Art
Contest this winter!
The deadline to enter is February 1, 2021.
For the Love of STEM Kit
The kids are going to love this one
This kit was packed with love and all of the supplies you'll need besides water and scissors! Enjoy 6 activities with a Valentine's theme. Kits are designed for elementary-aged children and some activities require grown-up supervision. Fun for the whole family! Directions are provided for each activity as well as a few videos to follow along.
Reserve your kit(s) today! Contactless pick-up is offered every Saturday in February from 10 am - 12 pm!

$25 each

Members receive $5 off with discount code.
Leave a Lasting Legacy of STEM Learning
Donor Spotlight
Sheila and her grandson, Christopher
The Science Center is grateful to longtime donor Sheila Brennan for her commitment to the Center’s mission and vision as an inaugural member of the Legacy Society. Including the Science Center in your will or estate plan is a lasting legacy that will inspire a lifelong love of STEM for future generations. We invite you to join Sheila in the Legacy Society. Click here to learn more.

"From my first visit to the Lab, watching children get so excited about science and ladybugs, I knew I wanted to be intimately involved with supporting the mission of the Children’s Science Center. Every child needs this resource. I have been a teacher my whole life – just not in traditional classrooms. I’ve been a mother, a grandmother and now I’m a member of the Legacy Society. I am making a huge difference in so many children’s lives and I couldn’t be more proud!"
- Sheila Brennan pictured with her grandson, Christopher

We welcome the opportunity to have a conversation, confidentially, and without obligation, about creating your legacy. Please contact Jenn Brunner, Advancement Director at jennbrunner@childsci.org.
Save the Date!
Volunteer Appreciation Celebration
Join us for our virtual volunteer victory lap as we celebrate all of the volunteers who gave us their time and talent in 2020, play Childsci trivia, and enjoy an update on the state of the Lab and future science Center!

Sunday, February 28th
2pm-3pm

Registration to come; Zoom link provided.
Try It At Home
Ice Fishing
Winter is officially here and the chilly temperatures are a constant reminder of the season. Check out this interesting experiment to“fish” for ice and explore its melting point. You can expand on this experiment by increasing or decreasing the amount of ice or salt used. Challenge: Try to catch multiple cubes at once!
The Children's Science Center is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.
We could not continue to share our mission virtually without our community of supporters. Your gifts directly support our mission and programs. THANK YOU!