FirstHand
Nurturing a 21st century STEM workforce to create a more equitable talent pipeline

About FirstHand
FirstHand offers free year-round, supplemental STEM learning for middle and high school students and is designed to provide skills-based career exposure. Our FirstHand Lab connects students from surrounding neighborhoods to the entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystem in Philadelphia. Our industry-informed curricula provides real-world, hands-on experience in an effort to open doors for the minds of tomorrow.
Who is this program for?
-
-
-
-
FirstHand students collaborating on a STEM project
A look inside the FirstHand Lab
-
STEM in action
City School students brainstorming their final projects -
STEM in action
Paul Robeson High School students prepare their projects before pitching to an audience made up of professionals from CHOP and the Science Center. -
Making the pitch
8th graders from Chester A Arthur Elementary present their final projects to the community. -
In the lab
Middle school students busy at work in the FirstHand lab.
Program Benefits
Career Exposure
High school students work directly with professional mentors in real-world, career simulations. Middle school students begin to understand the STEM career opportunities in their own neighborhood by visiting STEM labs and workspaces
Exposure to STEM
We create an early interest in the STEM disciplines and supplement the classroom experiences with hands-on, project-based lessons with real world applications.
Mentorship
You can’t be what you can’t see. That’s why we engage STEM professionals to demonstrate what a variety of STEM careers look like and provide guidance to students.
Hands-on Learning
Our lab-based programming incorporates project-based learning and industry-relevant curricula.
Virtual Learning
The learning doesn’t stop just because we can’t be in the lab, whether it’s delivering “at-home” STEM kits, providing supplemental support to teachers conducting virtual classes, or with remote project-based curricula like FirstHand Summer Ventures, Move Into Physics or STEM in the Real World.
I’m most excited about how I’m gonna actually make something of my own from scratch and look forward to seeing how it turns out. I’ve been working on it every day!
FirstHand Impact
Program FAQs
We work directly with schools in Philadelphia. If you’re a student and interested in participating in our programs, we suggest you speak with your teacher or principal. If you have questions, we can be reached at firsthand@sciencecenter.org.
If you’re interested in becoming a new school partner, contact us to learn more. Note, students must be able to walk or take public transit to our lab at 3675 Market Street.
-
4/18/21 | In the News
Firsthand STEM Program offers resources to students
-
4/14/21 | In the News
These Philly youth STEM programs are getting a boost from the state
-
4/1/21 | Article
Introducing Space Quorum
-
3/24/21 | In the News
A Unique Talent Pool is Propelling Philly to become a Top Biotech Cluster
-
2/23/21 | In the News
Philadelphia's eds and meds sector poised to support recovery of the city
-
12/31/20 | Article
Our Top 7 of 2020
-
11/5/20 | Article
An Application, an Internship and an Opportunity
-
9/24/20 | Article
Nucleus Revisited
-
9/10/20 | Interview
The Visionaries Behind the Awards: Meet the Nucleus 2020 Honorees
The Latest
Become a Mentor
Inspire the next generation of STEM professionals by serving as a mentor to our FirstHand students. Work with middle and high school students from under-represented communities in Philadelphia, for hands-on, project-based learning in our dedicated FirstHand Lab or your space. Our mentors are scientists, designers, entrepreneurs, and engineers, but we welcome mentors with all types of backgrounds and skill sets.
