Branching Out to the West Coast: Introducing BranchOut! LA
- Jasmine Su & Brian Chen
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
The BranchOut! LA Chapter was founded in 2025 with a simple yet impactful mission: to make science, math, and the arts accessible and engaging for young students. The chapter aims to promote curiosity, build confidence, and prepare students for a future in STEAM. At the same time, the team works to promote cross-cultural understanding from an early age. At the center of the LA Chapter's work are interactive STEAM activities designed to make learning fun and meaningful. Rather than relying on lectures or worksheets, the leadership team emphasizes experimentation, collaboration, and creativity.
Key Projects and Activities
Some of the projects the LA Chapter has led include:
Building lava lamps using vegetable oil, Alka-Seltzer, water, and food coloring to demonstrate water’s polarity, acid-base reactions, and density
Creating slime with borax and glue while educating students on the properties of non-Newtonian fluids
Cutting paper snowflakes inspired by the traditional Chinese art of paper cutting to inspire cultural immersion and creativity
Making bouncy bubbles using dish soap, sugar, and water to study surface tension, molecular interactions, and elasticity
Challenging students to launch straw rockets to explore Newton’s laws of motion, propulsion, and aerodynamics
Designing and testing homemade parachutes using plastic bags, string, and animal erasers to study air resistance, gravity, and teach students that surface area promotes drag
Creating invisible ink using turmeric powder and rubbing alcohol to explore chemical reactions and pH indicators, enhancing peer collaboration through a twist on the game Telephone
The Students Served
The LA Chapter is led by Jasmine Su and Brian Chen, who are seniors at Arcadia High School. Through hard work and dedication, the team formed a partnership with a local educational center and created an after-school STEAM program that primarily serves elementary students ages 6 to 11. Many students enter the program with limited exposure to science beyond the classroom. Through carefully crafted lessons, the team fosters a welcoming STEAM environment. The LA chapter is proud to see students grow more confident in their abilities and become more excited about learning. Some students who were initially hesitant to participate are now eager to volunteer in demonstrating their crafts.
The team shared the following story about Simon and Jaden during the paper snowflake activity. Simon became angry at Jayden for taking his scissors, but the chapter leaders de-escalated the conflict by reminding them that class supplies are meant to be shared and asking students to ask before taking others’ belongings. The next week, when the team challenged the students to a bubble-bouncing contest, Simon offered his new LEGO set as the prize. The team was impressed by his generosity and maturity compared to the previous week and applauded his improvement in character. This story illustrates that mentorship matters and education can occur anywhere.
Challenges and Our Response
Like many community-based initiatives, the LA Chapter has encountered challenges along the way. One major challenge has been adapting lessons to meet different learning paces. In each session, the leaders work with students who may pick up on concepts quickly as well as those who need more time. Balancing these needs requires flexibility and thoughtful lesson planning. For example, during the parachute lesson, while some students successfully cut their plastic bags and tied their knots, others did not do so properly and required one-on-one assistance.
Additionally, as a non-profit, limited resources and materials can restrict the scope of the projects. The team has learned to be creative with what they have, finding low-cost alternatives and using everyday items for experiments. For instance, they used dish soap from the kitchen sink to make the solution for bouncy bubbles.
Lastly, the team faced the concern that students might not be interested in science projects or might view them as “too difficult” or “boring.” At the start, the team struggled to strike a balance between hands-on and lecture-heavy meetings. As a result, they incorporated competition-style projects, such as paper rockets and bouncing bubbles, in which friendly competition encouraged students to brainstorm creatively. Simultaneously, the team strategized by alternating science-focused meetings with art projects. It was exciting to see that students were deeply interested during the lessons, asking thoughtful questions and looking forward to each new project. Hearing them shout, “It’s them again!” and watching them celebrate small successes further boost the team's motivation to continue giving their best effort and to craft STEAM-based projects that make learning memorable.
Key Lessons and Growth
Through the work in BranchOut!, the chapter members have gained several important insights that continue to shape their approach. First, they have learned that hands-on learning projects are highly effective. When students are given the freedom to experiment and build, abstract concepts become easier to understand. Secondly, collaboration strengthens the learning process. When working in groups, students learn to communicate, compromise, and learn from one another. These soft skills are just as important as technical knowledge. Finally, the BranchOut! LA Chapter leaders have learned the importance and impact of mentorship. By building this relationship, they directly contribute to younger generations by serving as role models who inspire curiosity, foster a love of learning, and lay the foundations of STEAM early on.
We are truly proud of the LA Chapter and all they've accomplished as a dedicated and collaborative team. Their efforts have significantly contributed to the community and set a benchmark for excellence. Their commitment and teamwork will undoubtedly continue to inspire others and drive positive change, solidifying their role as a cornerstone of the organization’s ongoing success.
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