During the 2016-2017 school year, a group of female students and teachers from Science Leadership Academy participated in a unique experiential learning program. We explored Cuba through the lens of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), History, and Language. The program culminated in a field study in Cuba in spring 2017.

Our students have a wide array of academic interests that they honed to create their own research projects in Cuba. Having returned from their field study, students will present their work to students, educators and community members across our city. As such, our students have taken on the roles of researchers and students in order to be leaders and teachers.

We designed this experiential-learning program specifically for our female students. Our goal was to increase their exposure to STEM fields in which women are severely underrepresented. We chose Cuba as our focus because of the unparalleled opportunities and unique perspectives it offers during this pivotal point in its history.