Offline Events

We will also host optional offline events from time to time to inspire the volunteers and improve the sense of belongings, such as build STEM Kits for School Science Classes in Local Communities, gathering in the park with food provided, award ceremony etc. The time spent for offline volunteering events are also counted as volunteering hours.

So far we have hosted multiple offlline events on 3/10/2024, 5/18/2024, 5/26/2024, 6/18/2024, 8/27/2024, 8/4/2024, 8/17/2024, 8/27/2024 and upcoming one on Jan 2025.

Our Volunteers are excited for the offline gathering and doing volunteers together. Here are some of their sharings about our offline events.

On Sunday, ten volunteers from C&L went to RAFTResource Area For Teaching, to build STEM kits for summer camp students. The goal was, ultimately to make a difference and help educators regardless of the numbers.

At the beginning of the event, we were given a variety of choices. Six of us built mazes at three tables, with two people working together at each while the remaining four worked on target puff rockets, each of us building upon each other's work by doing seemingly simple tasks such as takingbags out of a cardboard box, stacking little boxesand sealing the plastic bags tightly. Later, three tables of us, having finished another task of making target puff rockets, began quality-checking the “Colors of Light" kits, spectroscopes for science students to assemble themselves that separated the colors of light. Soon, our group was joined by three other sand through lots of hard work, debate over how centered the holes had to be, and reassuring each other (and ourselves) that we could get through itwe managed to finish 8 boxes of 20 bags each, with each bag containing 10 kits.

The achievements of each group were very impressive. We inflated 75 balls, made 25 maze sets that would serve 10 students each, made 814rockets, checked 1600 kits, and 2,000 pom-pom sets, setting the total to 4,739 students served..

Together, in just two hours, we built enough kits to provide thousands of students with materials forsummer camp. The trip to RAFT was a memorable one, especially with how quickly everyone settled into a structured routine that seemed like it was practiced. We were able to adjust to different tasks commit to each one fully and patiently, and communicate effectively all while efficiently building kits that we knew would help thousands of students enhance their understanding and passion for STEM. True to its name, Connect and Learning motivated its volunteers to connect with others and learn how to collaborate to satisfy the needs of educators who would put the products of our work to good use.