The BranchOut! Blog

Starting a new chapter is always a mix of nervous energy and excitement, but today, BranchOut! Boston officially launched with its first-ever event at the Newton Boys & Girls Club on July 10th, 2026. Working with a vibrant group of 15 4th- and 5th-graders, our goal was simple yet profound: to make STEM accessible, impactful, and deeply meaningful.

On June 30th, BranchOut! was deeply honored to receive the Outstanding Community Organization Award at the National United Chinese American (UCA) Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. This milestone recognition reflects the incredible dedication of our mentors, student leaders, advisors, community partners, and supporters who have helped shape BranchOut! over the past 11 years.

On Friday, March 20th, the Howard County Chapter launched its 25-26 season with an Open House Event. As the program enters its seventh year, the event set the tone for a successful and impactful season, bringing over 60 attendees, including both new and returning members. By 6 PM, students began trickling in. The event opened with videos featuring BranchOut! alumni now attending schools such as Yale, UPenn, Tufts, UMD, Brown, and CMU. Each student provided their own unique ba

Just off the New Jersey Turnpike in Newark is a fairly nondescript building, in an industrial district on the banks of the Passaic River. It is a squat, block-like grey thing, windows facing out across a sea of concrete parking lots and gas tanks. The air is smoky, and on hot days, you can smell the mixture of natural gas, animal fat, and sewage from the other plants in the area. Surrounding it are iron walls, faced inwards, resembling an umbrella topped with barbed wire. Asi

When we flip on a light switch or charge a phone, the electricity powering those devices originally comes from a natural source. In traditional energy systems, that energy often comes from burning fuels such as coal, oil, or natural gas. However, burning these fuels releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. Renewable energy systems work differently. Instead of burning fuel, they capture energy from natural processes that occ