SCIENCE MUSEUM FOSTERS LEARNING
DCF teams with MOS, Wonderfund to help kids
More than 20,000 Bay State foster children and their families will have unlimited free access to the Boston Museum of Science through a new partnership designed to extend access to the world of science, engineering and learning.
The Museum of Science, the state Department of Children and Families and the Wonderfund, a new private charity that provides children involved with DCF with support and enrichment activities, announced the initiative during a kick-off event yesterday.
The offerings include free museum access, scholarships to summer classes for teens and internships, opening the museum’s doors to thousands of families.
Lauren Baker, Massachusetts’ first lady and vice chairwoman of Wonderfund, said the museum can offer kids a chance to experience “moments of childhood magic and enrichment that all kids deserve.”
Throughout the day, families from Boston to Pittsfield explored the museum, many rushing to see Baker and museum president Ioannis Miaoulis step into the “cage” during the Theater of Electricity Lightning Show featuring a high-voltage demonstration of electricity created by the world’s largest air-insulated Van de Graaff generator.
“This partnership is going to change the lives of potentially 20,000 kids across the entire commonwealth. It opens doors for these kids that otherwise might not have been opened,” Baker told the Herald.
“You never know what is going to spark the interest of a child and change the trajectory of their lives and this is going to do it for so many kids.”
The effort is worth half a million dollars if the 20,000 kids and families come at least once this year, said Miaoulis.
“Our mission is to engage as many kids as possible in the wonders of science and engineering,” Miaoulis said.
“This is a wonderful way to open our doors to families. There are very few places in the world that can inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.”
Christine Barry, 49, and Jay Barry, 48, of Weymouth, foster parents to four children, said the opportunity lets kids see things they normally wouldn’t.
The Barrys, named foster parents of the year by DCF in 2016, have served as foster parents for nine years and have helped some 50 kids over the years.
“There are struggles but it makes a huge difference in their lives and a huge difference in our lives,” Jay Barry said.
“Every kid we get has seen different things. We take things for granted.
“We took one to a horse farm last week and they had never seen a horse.”
“They are already asking to come back,” Christine Barry said.