We are immensely proud to announce the recipients of the Jane Street and Hudson River Trading Summer STEM Stipends, awarded to BEAM high school students in partnership with Jane Street Capital and Hudson River Trading.
At BEAM, we are working to make sure our students get access to the same sorts of STEM enrichment opportunities that their affluent peers already have, especially academic summer programs. To that end, BEAM provides individualized support in finding and applying to rigorous summer programs like Mathcamp, PROMYS, and more. This year, thanks to our corporate partners, we have been able to extend that support even further.
The Summer STEM Stipends are designed to address the fact that BEAM students who attend summer programs often cannot take summer jobs, which they and their families may be counting on. The stipends reduce the pressure of having to choose between getting paid for a summer job and participating in an intensive summer program. Attending such programs allows our students to explore diverse topics in STEM and prepares them for college and beyond.
Here is what BEAM students wrote last spring in advance of their summer STEM experiences.
Los Angeles
Karla G - 11th grade - TeenArch Studios, UClA
I have been a part of BEAM since 2018, doing courses such as cryptography, topology, abstract expressions, and have worked with the Pathway Program as well as the BEAM Math Research Workshop. I enjoy learning more about fields of mathematics and the branches, doing programs on architecture and engineering during my spare time! I’m really interested in such things as the Artin braid group and the Torus knot, which I learned more about during my time at BEAM and reading books provided such as “Abstract Nonsense” and “Love and Math.”
Over the summer I am taking a course on Politics, Law, and Economics, at Yale University as a Yale Young Global Scholar. We’ll be learning about economic theories, government, and legal frameworks. This program will complement my activism centered on giving aid to marginalized communities and underprivileged areas. During the month of July, I will be taking a course at UCLA known as TeenArch Studios, a highly intensive, three-week architecture program, in which students work together to complete a project.
Daniel T - 11th grade - The Summer Science Program
Throughout my math journey up until 10th grade I viewed math as simply a subject I was good at that had very little applications to the real world. Then during my sophomore year I learned calculus and its applications in the field of physics. Then I really realized how interesting math can be. I became so hooked on calculus and physics that I wanted to learn a lot more than what was normally taught at school. I did this by taking higher level math courses such as calculus 3, linear algebra, and ordinary differential equations. BEAM also offered opportunities to learn math that was not normally taught in school which I was always fascinated by as well. After learning a lot of new things in these courses I am excited for what is to come in my math/science journey. This summer I am participating in the Summer Science Program at UNC Chapel Hill and will study astrophysics. I hope to learn about astronomy/space and how math and physics relate to it. Since I enjoy math and its applications in physics I know that I will enjoy everything that I will learn at this program.
Alexis M - 11th grade - Canada/USA Mathcamp
I have been interested in STEM ever since the summer of 6th grade when I was first introduced to BEAM. The problems that we worked on at BEAM and the tight-knit community that existed was what hooked me. Alone, I probably wouldn't have grown as strong a passion for math. What excites me the most about STEM has to be the depth of many different topics, whether they are all math based or scattered throughout the sciences. For this reason, I continue studying STEM and hope to keep learning. The program I'm attending this summer is MathCamp, which I am returning to [after first attending last summer]. I hope to further advance my math skills and critical thinking.
Ashley V - 10th grade - Pomona College Academy for Youth Success
"Falling down is a way for you to see another world, a world you have never seen before." This is a quote that stayed on my mind after hearing it, it felt so familiar. Now I realize, it felt so familiar because I had experienced it — with math.
As I get older, math has become quite intimidating at times. I have fallen and fallen, over and over again. Failing to solve problems and spending hours of my day breaking my head over them, but there is something I cannot deny with every difficult math problem I have encountered: I always see something new. I always get to experience another world of math that expands my knowledge. So, if you ask me what has helped my interest in math grow, I would say I have fallen. I have fallen over and over again, and to be frank I can't wait to fall some more, if it means I get to keep exploring and discovering new worlds of math. This is my second summer attending PAYS. Last summer, the math class we took exposed us to math problems that truly challenged us.
Jacqueline O-V - 10th grade - Pomona College Academy for Youth Success
What most excites me about math is the many ways of coming to a single answer. At BEAM, I attended a Saturday class about stocks, which really piqued my interest in applying math to a job in the real world. This summer, I'll be attending PAYS, Pomona Academy for Youth Success, for the second time. Last summer at PAYS I discovered myself. I leaped out of my shell and made many close friends. I left behind timid me in Los Angeles and brought forward a confident me at Pomona. I made sure to participate every time I had an answer, right or wrong. I carried this confidence into all the other aspects of my life, including school. Going back to Pomona will give me the chance to, once again, discover new things about myself while still pursuing my education with the intense coursework provided.
Maya P - 11th grade - Turner-UCLA Allied Health Internship
I am what most people call a "STEM Nerd." I am proud of the title as my passion for STEM has driven me to discover new things about myself. The uncertainty that comes with learning something new within the STEM field is what really excites me and makes me want to continue pursuing STEM. I've attended BEAM and a club called MESA since 6th grade, and they have fostered and nurtured my love for STEM.
This summer I will be part of the Turner-UCLA Allied Health Internship program which will further my knowledge of STEM careers I could pursue. I applied to the program because one day my mother was telling a story about a medical professional that worked at her job. Out of curiosity I asked my mother this person's job title and she said some hard to pronounce long technical name. I had never heard of the profession and looked it up. Upon investigation I realized I really knew nothing about what the medical field has to offer except for the typical doctor or nurse route. This internship is set to expose me to over 80+ medical professions that involve STEM and I hope that by the end of the internship I have gained a better understanding of the different career pathways within the medical field.
Karen G - 10th grade - Scripps College Academy
I believe math and all fields in STEM have always been of my interest because of the career path that I want to pursue. I always knew I wanted my future career to be in the medical field but for a while I wasn't sure what position would best fit me. I decided becoming a delivery nurse would be ideal for me because you get to be part of welcoming life into the world which I think is a special moment to be able to be a part of. This summer I'm attending Scripps College Academy Program. During their summer program, I will be staying on Scripps’ campus for two weeks, analyzing topics in the real world that affect people's day to day lives.
New York City
Helen G - 11th grade - Summer High School Academic Program for Engineers, Columbia Engineering
I have been interested in math/STEM since I was in 3rd grade. My teachers really encouraged me to expand my knowledge. My 7th grade math teacher even took it a step further and helped me apply to BEAM, and I will always be grateful because to me STEM always has new things to learn about. I love problem solving and working with others, and that is what STEM is about.
Previously, I have done summer programs about different branches of engineering. In the future I see myself majoring in computer science but these programs helped me learn other potential fields I can major in. At SHAPE [Columbia Engineering's Summer High School Academic Program for Engineers], I hope to learn a lot more about computer science and also get to work with other students who share the same interests as me.
Yasong F - 10th grade - Lab Internship at Weill Cornell
Since sixth grade, BEAM has provided me with a lot of opportunities, resources, and support and has helped me develop a stronger interest in math. In elementary school and middle school, math class was always the class I looked forward to the most. I loved the way everything made sense and the satisfaction whenever I got a question right. It was during that time when I found out about BEAM. At BEAM Discovery, I met counselors and teachers who encouraged me to ask questions and made my questions feel welcomed. I also learned about math beyond the math taught in the school curriculum for the first time.
I am interested in studying medicine. To become closer to my goal, I took AP Biology last year and I am taking a multi-year research course this year. Over the summer, I will be interning at a lab at Weill Cornell studying the effects of estrogen on blood pressure; I'm very excited to learn more about a subject I'm so interested in. Along with that, I will also be volunteering at a hospital.
Joelle N - 10th grade - Cooper Union Summer STEM Program
STEM excites me because STEM subjects are constantly evolving, with new theories, techniques, and discoveries emerging all the time. This means that there is always something new to learn, and the opportunity for growth and development are endless. The logical reasoning and problem-solving abilities needed for mathematics and STEM topics are intellectually engaging and can help us solve complex challenges.
Both with BEAM and at school I was able to study math that addresses real world challenges. This summer I will be attending Cooper Union [Summer STEM Program] and based on my passions and interests I will create my own problems and projects that could have real world impact in the future. I hope to learn how to combine theoretical knowledge with practical skills while learning what the world needs through project management, project application, and teamwork.
Shreeya K - 10th grade - Science Research Mentoring Program, American Museum of Natural History
My STEM journey began as a child when I would always break things and rebuild them in an attempt to learn about how those things worked. Although I was a STEM enthusiast from a young age, I always found myself struggling in math as a child, primarily because I was new to the country and struggled to adapt to the new environment. However, when I entered the BEAM community during the summer of my 7th grade, it opened a whole new realm of math for me. I'll never forget that experience. I saw math with a new mindset and it completely changed the way I approached challenging math problems. Not only did I gain math skills, but I also learned how to apply those skills to other things such as finding the distance from sun to earth. I think seeing math in a new way unlike in school really helped me appreciate math even more and I will always thank BEAM for that. This summer, I'll be researching at the American Museum of Natural History with scientists in the astrophysics field to gain more experience in analyzing astro data. Through this program, I hope to gain hands-on experience working with astro data and improve my data analysis skills.
Lorraine A - 10th grade - Cooper Union Summer STEM Program
I am excited about the impact that STEM has. It makes things better and creates opportunities for a lot of people. I enjoy math because of the challenge; it also helps me improve my problem solving skills. Something that has helped my interest in STEM grow is learning about game development at The School of Interactive Arts. Although I don't want to work in game development in the future, I really enjoyed exploring it and learning coding. The program I am attending this summer is the Cooper Union Summer STEM Program. I chose this program because I'm interested in learning about engineering and about Cooper Union. I hope to learn about the type of careers connected to engineering and if they fit with what I like to do.
Justin S - 11th grade - All Star Code
STEM subjects have real-world applications that shape the planet around us. They allow us to understand the complicated workings of the universe and develop practical solutions to address complex questions. Whether it's unraveling the questions of the universe, designing cutting-edge technology, or evolving life-saving cures, STEM fields have the ability to transform lives and create a positive impact on society. This potential to contribute to the advancement of information and better the quality of life for society globally is an important prospect that excites me about math and STEM.
Tasneem T - 10th grade - All Star Code
I liked dinosaurs growing up, it’s a weird fascination I've had since I can remember. One of my earliest memories is going to work with my mom and playing with a dinosaur figurine in the play area. I remember reading a lot of books about them too (I even cried when I found out they went extinct.) So since the age of 3, I've wanted to be a paleontologist.
That's what got me into STEM, simple curiosity and fascination led to something I see myself doing for the rest of my life. My interest has only grown since that time. [I chose to go to] All Star Code because it will give me tools that will help me succeed and give me an advantage in the future. There are many personal projects I have in store that require advanced computer skills like the ones I’ll be learning at All Star Code.
Ashfaq S - 10th grade - All Star Code
During 6th grade, I was opened up to the world of mathematics when my math teacher saw potential in some students in my class and introduced us to the math team and competitions and then, BEAM. This allowed me to explore my interests in STEM. Since 2020, participating in STEM programs has been hard, but I’m still interested in subjects like computer science and coding, which is why I chose to attend a coding program this summer. I hope to continue exploring computer science and hope that I can dive back into mathematics.
David L - 11th grade - All Star Code
When I joined BEAM, I got really interested in computer science. I remember going on repl.it and taking a python course. It expanded my creativity since there is no one right answer in python, you code to create your own world. In middle school, I had beginning coding classes and the usage of scratch and code.org. Then as I got to high school, I took a software engineering course where I learned HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This summer, I'm attending All Star Code where I hope to learn more HTML, CSS, and JavaScript because I feel like there's more to learn.
Javier V - 9th grade - All Star Code
I first got introduced to BEAM by Ms. Perez, my 6th grade teacher. I was really into math, in fact, it was my favorite subject. I loved it even more when I got into 8th grade and took algebra with Mr. Joanis (I even got a 92 on my Regents exam). BEAM has given me the opportunity to express my natural passion for math and other related topics
I am attending a program in the summer called All Star Code. They teach people many different types of computer languages. You can also learn about different careers, such as game development, computer science, and much more. The reason I applied for the All Star Code program is because of coding’s connection to math. I love math so much because most of the time, there's one direct and definitive answer. Math also has many ways to affect the real world. When coding, I either input exactly what is needed and proceed with running the script successfully or unsuccessfully at which point I attempt to figure out the bug in the script. I wish to use all available resources to the full extent of my capabilities.
Kai G - 9th grade - All Star CODE
I first became interested in STEM around 5th grade. I was excited about how things fly, robots and technology, and how it could be applied. I started to explore STEM by going to various STEM camps, for example I went to a space camp during one of my spring breaks. When I went to BEAM, I got really curious about how I could solve different problems and the different ways to go about it! I chose to attend All Star Code this summer so I could learn about coding. I hope to learn how to make websites and how to make games.
Mamadi K - 10th grade - Biorocket Research Internship Program
In STEM, I’m really excited about finance. I've taken classes in counting and statistics to help my interest in math/STEM grow. I'm attending the 2023 Biorocket Research Internship Program this summer because of the focus on science. I hope to learn about astronomy, human anatomy, microbiology, geology, neurobiology, and botany.
Kristen J - 10th grade - WorkForce 2000 Pre-RN Program
One thing that excites me most about math/STEM is how there are many ways to solve problems. I love how math involves a lot of critical thinking which allows you to explore the subject deeper and deeper so you can fully understand it. During my summer at BEAM Summer Away, I was given the opportunity to learn and explore different kinds of math. I saw how to logically think, different ways to work with fractions, and how to solve problems I would have never thought of. This opportunity led my interest in math to grow way more. The program I am attending this summer is a Pre-RN program. I chose this program because I would like to pursue a career in nursing in the future and I believe this program will help me learn more about it. I will use the math/STEM skills I have learned at BEAM and it will help me throughout my learning and research process as well.
Selina L - 10th grade - Brown Pre-CollegE
Math/STEM excites me because it allows me to use my hands and my brain at the same time. It also lets me have fun in the process. BEAM has helped grow my interest because during the summer of my 6th grade year, I was introduced to new kinds of math that I wouldn't be able to learn in school. This made me more interested in my math and science classes in school, making them my favorite.
This summer I will be attending the Pre-college Program at Brown University and taking the materials engineering class. I chose this program because I get to explore one of my potential college majors, as well as experience college life and how it would feel being more independent, away from home. I decided to take materials engineering because I have always wanted to do some form of engineering, but I was never sure what. So this will help me learn if I would like to pursue materials engineering as a career.
Selina Z - 11th Grade - Girls Who Code
Initially, I only liked math because I was good at it. But coming to BEAM, I realized that math isn't all formulas and unreasonable problems; it's actually fun. During BEAM Summer Away, I loved solving challenge problems and especially liked the sense of accomplishment when I finally solved it. BEAM allowed me to take classes outside of what was offered in my school and opened me up to new forms of math. BEAM has helped me foster my interest in STEM fields and made me want to pursue STEM not just because it pays me well but because I like it. This summer I'm attending Girls Who Code because I am interested in coding. I am excited to create fun projects!
Sylvan C - 10th Grade - STEM Institute City College of New York
I first became interested in math when my sister was preparing for the SHSAT [NYC Specialized High School entrance exam] and we reviewed the math questions together. In my first experiences with math, I was just given equations with operations that I had to evaluate to find an answer. I think too much of math is like this, where you are told what to do and how to do it and only asked to compute. I think it is much more interesting when a question is given without a set path to the solution. Finding how to solve something and why a solution works allows you to understand more and come up with new solutions rather than recycling formulas that you are just told to trust. My first experience at a math program was with BEAM Discovery. I took a class about patterns where we made formulas for patterns. This class is memorable to me because it represents the side of math that I love. We were asked to turn one mathematical concept into another. To represent observations using the language of math.
This summer, I will be attending the STEM Institute at City College of New York. Last year I attended this program and took Precalculus as well as Chemistry. I would like to take these more advanced STEM courses in order to provide me with more scientific and mathematical background. The math that I am learning is fundamental to so many broader mathematical fields and concepts that I would like to understand.