The Mills High School club, the California Scholarship Federation (CSF), recently visited Spring Valley Elementary School and hosted STEM activities in classrooms. The visit focused on encouraging curiosity and creativity among elementary students by allowing them to participate in interactive STEM activities. The club members created different engaging tasks with the young elementary students, such as kaleidoscopes. CSF members worked closely with the students, guiding them through experiments that demonstrated how STEM can be something fun and creative!

CSF has been a long-running club on the Mills Vikings’ ship with over 30 members. The goal of CSF is to foster academic success and community service while building leadership skills. Hosting a regular field trip to Spring Valley is just one of the many things that the club does to give back to the community. These visits benefit both the Mills and Spring Valley students. CSF students are able to practice their leadership skills while the Spring Valley students are mentored by the older kids and get hands-on experience with STEM related activities.

According to CSF members, the goal of the field trip was not only to teach STEM concepts, but also to inspire students to feel excited and confident about learning. “It’s a good way for them to see the high schoolers and see what they can do in the future when they come here, and it helps the high schoolers interact with the young kids and show their leadership to the community,” said Crystal Yu (10), a member of CSF. Spring Valley Elementary students responded enthusiastically to the activities, asking questions and actively participating throughout the visit. 

By partnering with a neighboring school, the California Scholarship Federation demonstrated its commitment to community service and education. The visit helped show younger students that learning can be both educational and enjoyable, while also encouraging interest in STEM fields at an early age.