Happy Anniversary, BranchOut! Baltimore City!

The BranchOut! The Baltimore chapter celebrates its one-year anniversary after an impactful, intentional, and exciting year.

What is BranchOut! Baltimore Chapter?

The Baltimore City Chapter is a student-led initiative under BranchOut! Veritas Education Leaders, a nonprofit program dedicated to providing academic mentorship and promoting STEM engagement within underserved and underprivileged communities in Baltimore City.

Data from Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPSS) highlight the urgency of this work: nearly 40% of high schools report that zero students tested proficient in math, while literacy rates remain among the lowest of Maryland’s 24 districts. From teaching 4th-6th grade students how to code robots and design 3D models to advocating against school closures, the chapter recognizes the critical need for outreach. Through its initiatives, BranchOut! Baltimore City aims to bridge educational disparities and empower students through meaningful academic engagement and support.

Questions: Why do you volunteer with BranchOut!? 

“I chose to volunteer with BranchOut! because I had always enjoyed volunteering and mentoring kids, but it was through working with a group of fourth graders that I solidified my love for teaching—even convincing me to pursue a career in education specifically.”

~ Alessia Noble-Shams, Grade 10, Volunteer

Who are the Leaders of the BranchOut! Baltimore Chapter?

Elizabeth Liu, a student at The Bryn Mawr School, recognized the stark educational disparities in Baltimore City upon transferring schools. Originally a mentor of the Howard County chapter of BranchOut!, she shared: “After witnessing the educational disparities in Baltimore City, I felt compelled to expand BranchOut! 's mission here. BranchOut! is an education outreach program; there are youth who would benefit from the support we can provide.” Following a planning period that began in November 2024, the chapter was officially founded in January 2025 by Elizabeth Liu, Megan Chiu, and Elshaday Fasil. More recently, a second generation of leadership has emerged, with Junior Leader Trainees Farrah Gheis and Alana Xia joining the team.

Partnerships & Programs

Throughout the year, the Baltimore Chapter has collaborated with several organizations.

→ From January 2025 to April 2025, the chapter partnered with Springboard Collaborative at Roland Park Elementary and Middle School (RPEMS), an after-school program building literacy and reading comprehension skills for K-5 students.

→ On April 11 2025, the chapter leaders organized a BranchOut! Spring 2025 STEAM Event at RPEMS, featuring activities such as a paper-plane competition, marshmallow tower building, color-by-number arithmetic worksheets, and space-themed keychains. The event engaged approximately 50 participants, including 14 volunteers and 35 students.

→ In July 2025, the Baltimore Chapter collaborated with Bright Minds Academy at Mary E. Rodman Elementary School to support innovation modules for K-5 Gifted/Talented/Advanced students.

→ Beginning in October 2025, they partnered with the Refugee Youth Project to support K-8 students, primarily from Afghanistan and Pakistan, through academic enrichment and assistance with community integration. 

→ In November 2025, they collaborated with the Bryn Mawr Robotics Team 8582 to design and implement a seven-week robotics and coding curriculum for 4th-6th grade students at the Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys. Dubbed “Collegiate Coders,” this after-school program marked the school’s first STEM program since its discontinuation during COVID-19.

Question: “What is your favorite BranchOut! volunteer moments?”

“That’s an impossible question to answer. If I must choose, what comes to mind is our recent involvement with the Refugee Youth Project. I was there just last week… the kids are endlessly energetic and heartwarming to work with. Being asked, ‘Are you coming tomorrow?’ is always bittersweet, but it’s a powerful reminder of the importance of simply showing up.”

~ Elizabeth Liu, Grade 11, Volunteer

What an annual first wrap for the Baltimore City Chapter! Looking forward, the chapter aims to expand partnerships, deepen its impact, and continue serving the youth of Baltimore City. Applications are currently open to rising and current 9th-12th graders.

The Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys is at risk of closing.

The Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys is currently at risk of closure due to funding complications. BranchOut! leaders have witnessed firsthand the transformative impact this school has on its students and have actively advocated for its preservation, gathering over 1,700 petition signatures from the community.

As previously mentioned, BranchOut! Baltimore City—together with members from The Bryn Mawr School Robotics Team 8582—started an afterschool program at the Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys where mentors designed engaging robotics and coding curriculum for 4th–6th grade students. This initiative, Collegiate Coders, is rooted in the belief that everyone is capable of learning to code. STEM should never feel exclusive or out of reach.

When asked about the impact her team hopes to make, Elizabeth noted, “I hope students leave Collegiate Coders with a lasting passion for STEM and the curiosity to keep growing, learning, and exploring. The school’s STEM after-school program had been discontinued since COVID; as the first program to return, I hope our team has made a meaningful, positive difference for the students. After coding LEGO robots with us, maybe they’ll even envision building their own in the future—robots that inspire them to imagine possibilities that are bigger, better, and bolder.”