Be the Element of Success to Open the Lab

Match Kavya's passion with a gift of support

Meet Kavya Kopparapu - she is 14, loves playing chess, traveling, and attending Thomas Jefferson School for Science and Technology. Most importantly, Kavya loves science. Kavya first discovered the Children's Science Center when she was 11, where she was inspired by the Center's celebrity scientist's demonstration at her school. Since then, she has become an avid volunteer and youth ambassador, helping to spread the word about the Center. Kavya dreams of the day when the doors to our museum open, fondly recalling her visits to science centers during her family's travels. 

Kavya's doing something about her dream! Each year she teaches girls at a summer chess camp - and donates the proceeds to the Center. Last spring, Kavya was awarded the National Science Teachers Association Angela Award, given to one outstanding middle-school girl in the nation who is exceptionally involved in and has a strong passion for science. Kavya dedicated this prestigious award to the Children's Science Center and donated the $1,000 cash prize so that her dream of opening the Center happens sooner.

Wow. We are humbled by Kavya's story, but even more, we are energized by her passion and are committed to creating more opportunities for children in our region to actively participate in hands-on learning of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Our mission is to instill a love of learning in all children for these STEM subjects by providing unique opportunities for them to explore, create and be inspired, and to do so by creating a world-class children's science museum.

We need your help to get there. Kavya, and all of her peers, are the catalysts by providing a voice for their dream and our vision. Now it's your turn to match her passion through your gift of support. Please be one of Kavya's Dream Makers today and help us open the doors at the Lab, our first operating site, by May 2015.

Elements of Success Campaign Kicks Off

Consider sponsoring an element

Full Fall Schedule for Mobile Labs Family Science Night Program

Children's Science Center visits 12 schools and 1 library

Click image to view slideshow

Since the start of the 2014-15 academic year, Children's Science Center has brought our Mobile Labs Family Science Night to more than 12 schools and one library across Northern Virginia. While the venues vary, the reaction to the program is the same - students, families and teachers praise the event. At the end of the event, one school administrator said, "All of the activities are awesome.  Seeing the kids' faces is so amazing."  The feeling was echoed by students we saw running down the hall to get to the event yelling, "Hurry up, we're missing science night!" While we don't condone the running, we love the enthusiasm!

Making Progress on Full Scale Museum at Kincora

Loudoun Design Cabinet provides design advice

The Loudoun Design Cabinet, a volunteer group of architects, engineers, planners organized by Loudoun County Economic Development, selected the Children's Science Center for planning charrette on November 14. They tackled design challenges regarding transportation as well as integration into larger Kincora development and cultural center. One participant described the Children's Science Center as a jewel that will not only attract visitors but also serve as a shining example of our community's commitment to children.

Get into the Holiday Mood with Festive Family Event

The Enchanted Forest is this weekend

Be sure to check out our three science-themed trees. Click for more info and tickets.

Imagine Their Future Tours 

Come learn about our plans firsthand

Volunteer Needs for Upcoming Events

Share your time as a volunteer at the following events

Volunteer opportunities are available at the following upcoming Museum Without Walls Mobile Labs Family Science Nights:

Check out the full list of events at our online calendar.

Children's Science Center Volunteer Spotlight: Jennifer Plank

"Making Science Approachable for Curious, Young Minds"

Jennifer Plank is a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institutes of Health, where she is in the field of developmental biology. There, she studies the factors that cause the body to "turn off" production of fetal hemoglobin and "turn on" adult hemoglobin- the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. Jennifer has always enjoyed math and science, and is fascinated and inspired by all the things we still don't know in many scientific fields, including her own! In addition to her research, Jennifer is also passionate about encouraging girls to pursue careers in STEM and feels it is important to make science approachable for young minds. She currently serves as the New Volunteer Liaison for the Children's Science Center.

Why did you get involved with the Children's Science Center? Shortly after I moved to the DC area, I was interested in finding extracurricular activities, and I received an email asking for volunteers at Museum Without Walls events. I signed up, had a great time, and I was hooked!

How did you get involved with the Volunteer Team? I quickly found that regularly commuting to Northern Virginia for Museum Without Walls events was a little difficult, so I decided to start volunteering with the Volunteer Team in order to contribute remotely. I started with the Volunteer Team as the Volunteer Team Administrator. In that role, I regularly posted upcoming events on various sites, including Volunteer Matters. In fact, I suppose I became an unofficial Volunteer Matters guru. Early this year I became the New Volunteer Liaison. In that role, I welcome and answer questions from new and prospective volunteers.

What has been your most memorable or rewarding experience thus far with the Children's Science Center? The most rewarding experience thus far has been attending one of the "For Kids By Kids" events held in the spring. For that event, I was able to bring my future stepchildren to "test" prospective activities. It was a great opportunity for me to show them a sampling of activities, and they both had a great time, and it was wonderful to see them interested in STEM.

If you could build a children's science museum, what would be your "dream" activity/exhibit?  I would love to have an exhibit using electron microscopy. It's fascinating to me that there is technology that can allow you to visualize things that are so small, and I think children would love to really see DNA or the parts of a cell that they can only see in books.

What aspect(s) of volunteering with the Children's Science Center keeps you involved and keeps you coming back? I think STEM education is so important, and I don't think it's given enough attention in younger grades. I also think that early exposures to science are what "sticks" with children. If you have an awesome first experience- the type of experience the Children's Science Center provides- I think you'll be forever interested in science.

Is there a scientist you most admire and why?  As a stem cell researcher and developmental biologist, I greatly admire Shinya Yamanaka, who won a Nobel Prize in 2012 for generation of induced pluripotent stem cells. To make them, you start with a cell such as skin or blood and treat them with factors and they turn into stem cells. These cells can then be "taught" to make many other cell types to treat diseases.