By CSO Linh N.
SLECoP 2024, or the STEM Learning Ecosystems Community of Practice, was a gathering of STEM education leaders from around the world that took place in Chicago, IL from October 29-31. Several Chief Science Officers (CSOs) from across the country came to participate and share the importance of student voice and demonstrate the CSO program in action.
Day 1 – 10/28/2024
To be honest, I was quite nervous as I did not know what to expect. We had a full breakfast while networking with other CSOs. Today was presentation day for Sophia and me. We presented for two breakout sessions, one promoting Springboard and the other was our own session about barriers youth might face, as well as our success stories with tackling them.
CSO Link on the right
Day 2 – 10/29/2024
I attended the Drone breakout session with CSO Sophia, Iraj, Sahiba, and Andrew. Unfortunately, it was cut short because the CSOs had a special trip to the Shedd aquarium instead. On the bus, I sat next to Sahiba and bonded!
We had to stick to a minimum of 3 people per group and I paired up with CSO Andrew and Nino. It was so memorable running around exploring the aquarium, especially trying to keep up with the energetic Nino. I brought two puppet sharks for my younger brothers to take back home.
The next landmark we visited was the Navy Pier. I had never seen such beauty before. The scenery was immaculate, with the sun hiding behind the clouds in the back. The wind was harsh, living up to the “Windy City” nickname for Chicago.
We were able to order our own food, and it was the best meal I had at the conference thus far.
After eating, right away we started to play Just Dance…”smart”!
Goodnight…
Day 3 – 10/31/2024
Before the day even started, I felt like it had already ended because we had to say bye to some fellow CSO’s leaving at different times. As we are from all different parts of the world and this rare occasion was able to give us that connection we desperately needed. Saying goodbyes was hard because there is always a chance I won’t get to see them again. Reflecting after the events, I can say that those three days in Chicago definitely left an impact on me. I have never met such a supportive and fun friend group. So grateful!
After SLECoP officially ended with their final general session, we embarked on a journey to rob the place of souvenirs. That was funny. California’s flight was one of the latest so our group explored Chicago’s China Town, buying actual souvenirs to bring back.
Finally, it was time to say one final goodbye to Chicago. Thank you for the memories of the people, place, and scenery.
