Welcome Back to SMILE!
It’s the year 2025, marking SMILE’s 32nd year and counting! As the new school year begins, we are welcoming students and teachers back (or for the very first time!) to our community of motivated learners and future college/higher education graduates. This year, the SMILE office is full of new faces as we prepare to expand our reach and develop even more engaging curriculum for our student attendees. For this month’s blog, we’ll spend time getting to know some of the brains behind the well-coordinated activities as we introduce this season’s curriculum!
What is SMILE?
The Science, Math, Investigative Learning Experiences Program (The SMILE Program) aims to bring challenging and exciting Science and Engineering afterschool curriculum to 4th-12th graders around RI!
Currently, we are in 25 Elementary, Middle, and High schools across 7 districts: Central Falls, Johnston, Newport, South Kingstown, Westerly, West Warwick, and Woonsocket. Each week after school, club members work together to design, build, and test different engineering projects in a relaxed atmosphere with one of our school-enlisted SMILE teachers.
Our field trips throughout the year introduce students to different careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) as they work towards College Preparation and/or Career Readiness. Students get the chance to engage in more interactive STEM-based activities as they foster a love for science!
Throughout the years, SMILE students have built clay boats, designed miniature satellites, experimented with drag forces by designing paper helicopters, built polymer bouncy balls, experimented with Gel Electrophoresis, and built functioning speakers on their pathway to showcasing their builds and experience at our annual Family Science Nights and March-April URI SMILE Challenge Days.
This year, we anticipate 500+ SMILE students enrolling in programs, with membership applications still coming in! These students will be engaging in fall engineering activities where they’ll explore different areas such as Biomedical, Mechanical, Computer, Civil, and Electrical Engineering.
Meet Our Specialists
During our August Teacher’s Workshop, SMILE teachers gather at URI to be introduced to the curriculum for this year. At this event, our curriculum coordinators get the opportunity to introduce themselves and lead our teachers through their carefully crafted curriculum activities.
Elementary School Curriculum Coordinator
“I am very excited about this autumn’s elementary curriculum. Through a progression of activities, students will investigate energy transformation. They will build water wheels, electrical circuits, electromagnets, models of human lungs and explore magnetic fields!
“In the process, they will learn about the transformation of potential into kinetic energy, and chemical energy into electrical and heat energy. Students will enjoy learning to work together as young scientists and engineers while honing their engineering skills and scientific techniques.”
Sneak a peek at this fall’s activities:
- Soda Bottle Water Wheels
- Marshmallow Spaghetti Tower
- Paper Airplanes
- Falling Waters
- Potato-Powered Battery
- Mobius Strip
- Exploring Magnetism
- Creating an Electromagnet
- Artificial Lungs
Middle School Curriculum Coordinator
“The Fall Middle School Curriculum is designed to provide students with an exciting introduction to various types of engineering through a series of engaging hands-on challenges.
“The curriculum begins with activities focused on teamwork, including the construction of a paper tower and a collaborative domino run. Following this, students will explore aviation through the design and creation of paper airplanes and balsa wood flyers. The engineering design process will be further developed as they create a prototype of a “Cool Puppy Dog House,” applying material science concepts such as insulation and conduction. Later in the curriculum, students will delve into rocketry by building Alka-Seltzer rockets, which will allow them to observe Newton’s Third Law of Motion in action.
“Overall, this curriculum is structured to allow our SMILE students to actively take on the role of an engineer as they tackle a variety of stimulating challenges. We believe this approach will foster critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and a deeper understanding of engineering principles.”
Sneak a peek at this fall’s activities:
- Paper Tower
- Basketball Challenge
- Airplane Challenge
- Bubble Fun
- Alka Seltzer Rocket
- Domino Rally
- Paper Ball Run Challenge
- Puppy Dog House
High School Curriculum Coordinators
“I’m excited to create new hands-on activities and to get students engaged in engineering!” – Julia
“I’m a Biomedical Engineering major, and I’m excited about the projects with more electrical components and the mechanical hand!” – Emily
The Fall High School Curriculum is designed to challenge students with hands-on engineering projects that connect classroom learning to real-world applications while building the critical skills needed for college and future careers.
This semester, students will dive into electrical engineering through activities like constructing parallel and series circuits and creating a light-up streetlight prototype. They’ll also take on renewable energy and mechanical design challenges by building windmills, hydraulic hands, and light-tracking robots. Teamwork, problem-solving, and creativity are emphasised as students design and refine prototypes, skills that will serve them both in higher education and in the workplace.
Sneak a peek at some of this fall’s activities:
- Recycling Sorting Machine
- Parallel Circuits
- Wind Mill
- Hydrobot Rumble
- Bread Board Street Light
- Light Up Firefly
- Series vs. Parallel Circuits
- Hydraulic Hand
- Light-Tracking Robot
SMILE Scholarships
Each year, The SMILE Program awards the Saul Nulman SMILE Scholarship of $500 to SMILE Rhode Island High School students towards their college tuition. In May 2025, 12 seniors were selected:
- 5 students from Central Falls!
- 1 student from Westerly!
- 6 students from West Warwick!
To Our Supporters:
As we launch into another year of exploration and discovery, we want to thank everyone who makes this work possible. To our families, teachers, school district partners, and funders, your support ensures our students have the tools and opportunities to grow as learners and future leaders. Together, we look forward to another year of curiosity, creativity, and achievement!