ALMA de UCLA
ABOUT US
ALMA Science Academy de UCLA
We are a community service project that is dedicated towards bringing STEM education to underrepresented communities. Our goal is to engage youths in an enrichment program in order to advocate for early exposure to STEM education and increase the percentage of Latinx pursuing careers in the STEM field through hands-on projects, interactive presentations, and educational field trips. Scholars will be exposed to biology, medicine, engineering, coding, and programming. With the help of UCLA volunteers, we are able to provide mentors to ALMA Science Academy and captivate elementary, middle, and high school students to pursue higher education.
OUR HISTORY
For the past 37 years, the Madison Park Neighborhood Association (MPNA) located in Santa Ana, California has established community programs in as an effort to promote health and education to around 10,000 residents in 6 neighborhoods surrounding Madison Elementary and the city at large. Noticing the desperate need for academic support, quality health care, and nutritional programming, the MPNA organization established the Getting Residents Engaged in Exercise and Nutrition (GREEN) Project. Through civic engagement and community empowerment, MPNA-GREEN Project promotes youth educational opportunities, family health and wellness, and safe and clean environment.
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The Aspire Learn Mentor Achieve (ALMA) Science Academy at Madison Elementary in Santa Ana was initiated as part of MPNA-GREEN youth program to encourage young scholars from underresourced communities to pursue careers in STEM fields. The directors of ALMA Science Academy saw a need for college mentors in order to help bridge the gap between young scholars and higher education. Undergraduate college mentors from UCLA and UCI made a commitment to inspire, guide, and support young children to pursue academic achievement. This gave rise to ALMA Science Academy de UCLA.
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ALMA Science Academy de UCLA is a student-led community service project that was initiated in 2017 as part of Latinxs/Chicanxs for Community Medicine (LCCM) organization at UCLA and MPNA-GREEN to bring undergraduate mentors to ALMA Science Academy.
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ALMA de UCLA has remained a shared effort to inspire youths to achieve higher education and pursue a path in STEM fields. Through the commitment and determination of medical students, college undergraduates, as well as faculty support from UCI School of Medicine, ALMA de UCLA has been able to support Science Academy on a regular basis alongside UCI MAES, MPNA-GREEN directors and coordinators, ALMA coordinators, and parents. As an evolving project, ALMA de UCLA has expanded its leadership positions and engagement among members to enhance our capabilities of serving youths in underrepresented communities.
WHATÂ WE DO
MENTORSHIP
Fostering relationships between scholars and mentors in order to nurture their interest in STEM and help guide them to achieve higher education.
EXPOSURE
Developing hands-on experiments and projects to expose scholars to STEM education at an early age in order to spark their curiosity in science.
CONTACT ALMAÂ DE UCLA
