The value of WSU's STEM community programs for student volunteers.
College of Science — July 7th, 2026
Weber State University’s Science in the Parks is a community-based STEM summer program launched in 2007. Each summer, the free program continues to bring interactive STEM activities to parks in Ogden, allowing families to come explore science through play. The program is unique in that it also gives Weber State student volunteers opportunities to expand on their teaching skills, connect with the community, and fire the imagination of future scientists.
Anna Griffin learned about Science in the Parks through the PROPEL program, a teaching-preparation program available to students through the Center for Science, Mathematics, & Engineering Education (CSME). As a botany major with a geology minor working toward a teaching endorsement, Griffin saw volunteering as a project lead with Science in the Parks as a way to share her passion for making science accessible and engaging for young learners.
While volunteering, Griffin discovered why the program has become a summer staple for many families. Throughout the season, she helped organize and prepare hands-on science activities for children of all ages, with many families returning daily to explore new experiments. For her, some of the most meaningful moments came from seeing families experiencing the activities together.
"I've seen science learning in all different ways... So just seeing this as a free event for people to come to, in the middle of summer, to still experience science, have fun, and ask questions – that's the kind of science that I love, and I'm all about." Griffin continues, "When you're together with your family learning something, I think there's so much more power behind that."
Throughout June, Griffin helped with a variety of STEM activities designed to ignite curiosity and encourage active learning. Children enjoyed building and launching rockets, experimenting with the science behind Alka-Seltzer reactions, and playing with oobleck, among many other hands-on projects. Griffin said the activities that excited the kids most were the ones with an element of surprise. She shared that people "love things that are surprising, slightly dangerous, like a little bit—not really dangerous."
These activities have been a part of Science in the Parks for years, and volunteers gather after the season to discuss what worked well and ways to improve the program for future summers. The goal is to continue to build successful, engaging science-related experiences for children and their families.
After her first summer of volunteering, Griffin is looking forward to returning next year as she continues her journey toward becoming a science teacher, saying, "I'm planning on it! I'm graduating in December and going into teaching, so I'm about 95% certain I'm going to do it next year."
For Griffin, her first summer with Science in the Parks strengthened her passion for science and demonstrated how hands-on learning can inspire curiosity and bring people together. Science in the Parks thrives because of passionate volunteers like Griffin who bring curiosity and a love of learning to the community.
For more information about getting involved in student volunteer opportunities like this and others, check out Weber State’s Center for Community Learning.
Feature Writer
Erin Drollette, College of Science
student writer
Feature Editor
Ali Miller, College of Science
marketing and communications manager
amiller@weber.edu