WashU Expert: How to pick a science fair program

To the 80,000 parents — um, make that students — who will compete in the upcoming St. Louis Science Fair, Washington University in St. Louis senior Sam Martorana offers this advice: Follow your passion, not the rubric. Martorana serves as co-coordinator of K-12 Connections, which provides student volunteers to science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) nights at local schools and it hosts campus field trips ranging from tours of the University Libraries’ Declaration of Independence exhibit to programs on Greek gods with classics faculty to visits to the student-run Burning Kumquat garden.

Encouraging University City High School students to think deep

University City High School students visited Washington University as a community extension of Washington University’s Freshman First Year Reading Program. The K-12 Connections program has provided the free books and campus experiences to high school groups for many years.