Our Mission
To bring equity to public school education by providing immersive scientific experiences to students in Cleveland.
What we do
We bring real-world, cutting-edge science to public school classrooms in Cleveland by:
Providing an immersive, hands-on Life as a Scientist experience
Guiding students through the full research process:
Developing experimental ideas
Writing grant proposals & receiving "Notice of Awards" (NOAs)
Conducting experiments in research teams
Troubleshooting & revising approaches
Presenting results & publishing in a scientific journal
Offering weekly mentorship from highly trained volunteers from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State, and the Cleveland Clinic
Helping students not just learn about science careers, but actively engage in the work of professional scientists
Encouraging creative freedom, collaboration, and scientific communication (reading, writing, and presenting).
Why we do it
We believe science education should be equitable and accessible to all students.
Science is expensive to teach: Schools with limited funding often lack hands-on learning opportunities
Representation matters: Science careers have a “glass floor” – inequities in education limit access for historically excluded students
Our primary goal: Bring equity to science education by providing real opportunities
Our secondary goal: Increase diversity in science careers by breaking down systemic barriers
By cracking the “glass floor”, we’re working to reshape the future of science in Cleveland—one classroom at a time.
2024 Impact
Students
168 students completed the Life as a Scientist program as published authors
25 published scientific manuscripts in JoYS
558 pop-up event attendees
5 Rise Up Scholars worked paid internships at CWRU
Volunteers
79 active Scientific Officer volunteers
82 Teaching Fellows working with students one-on-one
1100+ volunteer hours donated by skilled science professionals
Teachers
4 teachers completed our STEM Teaching Enrichment programs
Ongoing training offered by Rise Up to bring world class research into the classroom
Life as a Scientist
Hear from young scholars in our Life as a Scientist program about the research projects happening in their own classroom! With weekly assistance from our volunteer scientists, these students are using cutting edge scientific techniques to learn more about subjects of their own choosing.
What People Are Saying
“I learned how to use a vortex, conduct a real experiment, and the concept of teamwork.”
— Lincoln-West Student
“Being a scientist is actually kind of exciting, you can really do anything you want.”
— Lincoln-West Student
“Rise Up has been a huge success in my classroom. The program is truly one of a kind, and the future of education.”
-CMSD Teacher
“The best part for me was conducting experiments and being able to work together as a team.”
— Lincoln-West Student
Learn more about ways to get involved, Rise Up programming, and organization updates by signing up below!