East Lyme Public Schools Extended Day Programs and Summer Fun Club
Where “Oops” Turns Into “Aha!”
Andrea Scott planned to spend her career in a research lab. A love of science and a curiosity about how things work seemed to point that way. Then she took a job in afterschool, and the kids changed her plans.
“When I was hired in afterschool, I quickly realized I could bring that passion for science to kids,” Andrea says. “Seeing their curiosity, excitement, and genuine joy during hands-on activities made me realize how much I loved sharing science with them, and that I wanted to keep doing it.”
Today, Andrea brings that same spirit of discovery to East Lyme Public Schools’ Extended Day Programs and Summer Fun Club, where learning looks a lot less like a worksheet and a lot more like an experiment.
Learning Without a Script
For Andrea, the freedom of afterschool is the point. “Learning doesn’t have to feel like, ‘Do it this way because that’s how you’re supposed to do it,’” she explains. “We can explore, experiment, get messy, ask questions, make mistakes, and try again.”
That freedom lets her create what she calls “I wonder…” moments, and then watch students turn their curiosity into discovery.
The Beauty of an Experiment Gone “Wrong”
Some of Andrea’s favorite moments come when things don’t go according to plan.
During a Mentos and Coke experiment, one student shook their soda before adding the candy, and their eruption fizzled next to everyone else’s. Instead of stepping in with the answer, Andrea and her team asked the student what they’d done differently and what they might change next time.
Slime offers the same lesson. Too much or too little activator, and the result is a sticky mess that isn’t exactly fun to play with. Rather than fixing it for them, staff let students adjust the ingredients and try again until they get it right.
“Watching that lightbulb go on when a student realizes, ‘Oh, I know what I need to change!’ is one of my favorite parts of STEM,” Andrea says. “They are learning that scientists don’t always get it right the first time. They experiment, problem-solve, and try again.”
Permission to Make a Mess
Oobleck, magnetic slime, elephant toothpaste, soda geysers: East Lyme students have tried them all. What keeps them hooked is the chance to touch, build, test, predict, and yes, make a spectacular mess, without hearing “Don’t make a mess!”
“It’s amazing to watch their excitement as they discover that the ‘fun stuff’ they are doing is actually science,” Andrea says.
Building a Team That Owns the Work
Like many afterschool leaders, Andrea names staff engagement as one of the field’s biggest challenges, especially while meeting the diverse needs of students and programs. Her approach centers on voice and ownership.
She encourages staff to lead activities they genuinely enjoy and to bring their own interests, talents, and passions to the program. “When staff feel trusted, valued, and empowered, that energy carries over to the students and creates a much stronger program,” she says.
What Families Should Know
Andrea hopes more families see afterschool for everything it offers. “Afterschool is so much more than childcare,” she says. “It is another opportunity for children to discover who they are, develop confidence, build relationships, try something new, and find interests that may not always emerge during the traditional school day.”
For some students, she adds, afterschool is where they first discover a love of science, art, building, creating, or solving problems.
Curious, Confident Problem-Solvers
Andrea’s goal is programming that is safe, inclusive, engaging, and fun, where kids learn by doing. STEM fits that mission perfectly because, as she puts it, there isn’t always one right answer.
“We can ask a question, make a prediction, experiment, fail, try again, and learn something new every time,” she says. “Watching students become curious, confident problem-solvers is one of the most rewarding parts of what we do.”
Thank you, Andrea, for sharing your story, and for reminding us that the best experiments are the ones that make us ask “why?”
Know an afterschool professional who deserves the spotlight? Nominate them here.
