What Parents & Teachers Need to Know

The EVOLUTIONS After School Program (EVOking Learning & Understanding Through Investigations Of the Natural Sciences)  - known as “EVO” by most students - engages New Haven and West Haven high school students in a curriculum focused around the achievement of six primary outcomes:

1. Development of transferable skills, or those competencies that support student success in school, employment and beyond;
2. Enhanced student scientific literacy (i.e. scientific knowledge, process skills, critical thinking skills);
3. Make clear the connections between secondary education and STEM careers (science, technology, engineering & mathematics), in order to motivate students and facilitate future academic planning;
4. Expose students to the breadth of STEM and STEM-related careers, in order to inspire and engage;
5. Empower students through hands-on science experiences, including internships with university researchers;
6. Reshape student perceptions of what it means to be a scientist and do science, facilitating the consideration of STEM careers.

Student projects/activities include:

• Annual college visitation trip;
• STEM career exploration project;
• Student-produced exhibition focused on STEM careers; 
• Field trips to Peabody Museum collections, Yale labs/departments and other science museums in the region;
• Program podcast;
• Student-run committees: newsletter, fundraising and community service.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my student need to have good grades to be accepted into the EVOLUTIONS After School Program?

• No. That said, we screen applications for students whom we feel are mature and motivated enough to make a commitment to the program.  If a student signs up, we expect them to show up and we look to parents for support.

What does it cost to be part of the EVOLUTIONS After School Program?

• Nothing, participation is free thanks to our sponsors: Yale University, The National Science Foundation, The Institute for Museum and Library Services, The New Haven Community Foundation, The Kronhill Pletka Foundation, The Bay and Paul Foundations, Sikorsky Aircraft and United Illuminating.

How long can a student be in the EVOLUTIONS After School Program?

• It is our goal to recruit students as 9^th or 10^th graders and to retain them through graduation.

When does the EVOLUTIONS After School Program start?  How long does it run?

• EVO typically starts in early October and runs through mid-April.  Students have the option of being involved in EVO year round, however, through our Yale Science Internship Program and SciCORPS Career Ladder Program, which are both part of EVO and run in tandem with the after school program component.

When do the EVOLUTIONS After School Program meetings take place?

• Students meet one day per week (e.g. every Monday) at the Peabody Museum from early October to mid-April. Students in different grades meet on different days and we do our best to accommodate student availability.  Meetings run from 3:30 to 5:30pm though most students come to the Museum immediately after school. 

How do students get to the Peabody Museum?

• The Peabody Museum is located at 170 Whitney Avenue in New Haven, Connecticut (~3 blocks north of the New Haven Green).  School bussing to (not from) the Peabody Museum is provided for West Haven students attending on specific days, while city bus passes are provided for New Haven Public School students. A special “thank you” to the New Haven and West Haven Public Schools for providing this benefit.

Can I earn school credit for being in the EVOLUTIONS After School Program?

• Yes!  All students have the option of receiving academic credit for participating in EVO.  In addition, students will have opportunities to earn community service and work hours (e.g. Supervised Occupational Experience hours; Sound School) that are also reported to schools.  A special “thank you” to the New Haven and West Haven Public Schools for providing this benefit.

What parents are saying:

“It’s giving her so much self-esteem. Until this program she was very shy, she wouldn’t be up to talking with people…..helped build her confidence.”

“He’s very excited. They talked to him about college and he wants to go.”

“The research she was doing is good for team-building, how you have to hold up your end, work together…..carrying responsibilities through, a lot of process experience, that’s the biggest benefit.”

“He seems to learn a lot, more here than in high school, because it’s more flexible and he related well to [staff]….easier to relate to than his high school teachers. He didn’t want to leave.”

 “Because of EVO she has had experiences that I would not have been able to give her, college tours, SAT prep, paperwork and just how to do it.”

“Couldn’t drag him away!”

 “It is a very good program and she learned so much by participating.”

“This was such a great place to be, he was motivated to be here.”

“She has become more organized and responsible at school because I believe she is treated as a young adult at EVO and knows what is expected from her.”

 “He loves it!”

What students are saying:

“I love EVO, I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t come. I learn a lot but that’s not why people do after school programs—that’s a bonus. I’ll probably do it through high school.”

“Before I thought scientists either taught a science class in college or were always dissecting something but now I know it’s a person who has a question and a method. It could be anyone, anyone can be a scientist.”

 “At EVOLUTIONS it’s more like a big family…”

“The kids at EVO are passionate about what they do, and why they're here.”

“We think different.”

“I like it [EVOLUTIONS] because I meet new people and spend time with friends and it gives me a place to be myself and learn ...”

“It rocks!”

“All of my top freshmen experiences have come from working in EVOLUTIONS. I wouldn’t trade a second of my time in EVO for anything in the world.”

Program Contact Information

EVO Right-Hand Man: Dustin Oyler
    Office 203.436.4862
    Fax 203.432.2026
    Email peabody.afterschool@yale.edu

EVO Program Director:
    Jamie Alonzo, Coordinator of Education Special Projects
    Office 203.432.6577
    Fax 203.432.2026
    Email peabody.afterschool@yale.edu

EVO Mailing Address:
    EVOLUTIONS After School Program
    Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History
    P.O. Box 208118
    New Haven, CT 06520-8118 USA

EVO Directions:
    For a map and directions, click HERE