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Parent Newsletter

September 2025

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SAfG Returns with More Exciting STEM Projects at a Richmond Library

Consider bringing your children to our exciting hands-on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) classes, scheduled for one of the upcoming dates at the 403 Civic Center Plaza library in Richmond. We hope you can join us for one or all of our Monday afternoons! To find more information about our Science classes, please take a look at the flyer below.

SAfG Is Also Back in Schools with Biomimicry Awesome Projects

This year, SAfG will come loaded with amazing Biommicry lessons to understand how humans have learned from animals and plants to survive, meet their needs, and problem-solve challenges in life. This fall, kids will get inspired by nature to create and test different artifacts to overcome challenges. If your child attends any of the following SAfG schools, please register your child.

Where will SAfG be this school year?

How to register your child? Contact your school's site coordinator to register for our STEM afterschool program.

When do classes start? Classes start the week of 9/15

Limited Enrollment: Spaces are limited, so don't miss out on this opportunity to give your daughter a head start in STEM. Enroll today!

Upcoming Local Events

Join “Yes Fest” with Your Children to Fully Engage Their Motor Skills and Have a Blast!

YES and many of our community partners will be hosting games and activities including:

A climbing wall
Live performances
Arts & crafts
Dunk tank
Soccer Darts
and so much more!

Date: Saturday, September 27, 2025

Time: 11:30 am - 3:00 pm

Location: Nicholl Park Richmond

FREE EVENT! Reserve your spot. Click here.

Savor the Fall Season: Experience Emeryville's Harvest with SAfG

Let’s celebrate the bountiful harvest of the season with live music, delicious food, and exciting activities for the whole family. SAfG will be hosting a Germinator (sunflower seeds) and Parachutes project table. Come say hello while you explore the festival!

Date: Saturday, October 4th, 2025

Time: 11 am - 3 pm

Location: 4311 Hubbard Street Emeryville, CA 94608. Huchiun Park.

Parking: Limited parking is available nearby.

FREE EVENT!

STEM Role Model Stories

Discover How Nature Influenced Zaha Hadid’s Architecture - Biomimicry

Zaha Hadid’s architecture was deeply rooted in the rhythms and patterns of nature, drawing inspiration from rivers, dunes, and even cellular structures to shape her fluid and dynamic designs. Influenced by her background in mathematics and her observations of natural landscapes such as the Iraqi marshes, she rejected rigid, grid-based forms in favor of organic, flowing geometries that echoed the logic of the natural world. Through advanced computer modeling and parametric design, Hadid translated these inspirations into bold, futuristic buildings that appear to grow and evolve like living forms, blurring the boundary between architecture and the environment.

Science at Home

This fall, SAfG will introduce girls to biomimicry and wants to share activities inspired by nature, such as slimy animals and animal shelters. Let’s try these activities at home to keep learning about the science of nature.

Make Gummy Bears into Slime

The phenomenon in this experiment is to understand how gummy bears can be transformed into slime. How do we do that? When you heat the gummy gelatin, the connections between the filaments break apart, and you get a fluid. Discover this transformation by following these steps.

Engineer a Bird’s Nest

Provide a collection of natural materials (twigs, grass, mud, leaves, plant down, moss, lichen, spider silk, fur, and feathers) and challenge your child to construct a nest strong enough to hold a few toy eggs or a small ball. This is a fantastic engineering challenge that teaches about structural integrity, material science, and the ingenuity of birds. Find inspiration with the picture below. To find more STEM home activities, visit our website here.

Parent Resources

Apply Now: 5, $1,000 Surprise Powerz Grant + STEM Mentorship for Families

Surprise Powerz is excited to offer 5, $1,000 cash grant to a parent or grandparent of a toddler, preschooler, or kindergartener. Use it for educational needs and household support. In addition, gain access to STEM mentorship and learning resources.

The grant application is open September 1 - 30, 2025. It takes just 15 minutes to complete and asks simple questions about how the grant would benefit your family, as well as feedback on new educational videos that are being created. Plus, early applicants will automatically be considered for future rolling grants.For questions, please reach out to support@surprisepowerz.com. Share this grant with your network today!

Uncover How Curiosity Turns Into Innovation, Problem-Solving, and Active Citizenship

“Afterschool STEM: Turning Curiosity Into Careers and Citizenship” highlights how STEM education—especially in afterschool programs—empowers young people to solve real problems, connect their learning to community needs, build leadership and responsibility, and take on society’s biggest challenges. In this way, STEM becomes both a pathway to meaningful careers and a foundation for active, engaged citizenship. To see how curiosity can grow into both career opportunities and civic impact, explore the full article at Youth Today. explore the full article at Youth Today.

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