BEAM Fall 2025: Voting Theory, Sailer Knots, 3D Printing, and More!
It was a packed fall for BEAM students in New York and LA! They learned to code in Python and studied number theory, participated in a Math Wrangle, attended college applications workshops, dissected oysters from the Bronx River, toured UC Irvine, and much more!
Keep reading for a closer look at some of the fun, math-filled activities our BEAM students got up to last fall!
New York
At BEAM’s Saturday New York Programs, Students took classes in probability, voting theory, data science, LEGO robotics, and more. Enrollment in Saturday NY classes increased by 20% this fall compared to last year!
Along with the STEM enrichment, students received college and career guidance. Through an interactive career panel, high school students learned about jobs in finance and software engineering.
Students explored Rocking the Boat, a Bronx-based nonprofit that empowers youth through boat-building, sailing, and river restoration. Students tried out woodworking tools, learned to tie sailor knots, and dissected fresh oysters from the Bronx River while learning about their role in the ecosystem (a brave few even ate them at the end of class)! Students also discovered different career pathways in marine and environmental science. The high schoolers left full of new knowledge of how they can use their STEM skills to connect with environmental and marine science work in the future.
On Halloween weekend, students showed up to class in costumes –– Harry Potter, a pirate, a murderous nurse, a giraffe, and a pink cat were all in attendance!
Nearly 60 8th graders and their families received hands-on support navigating the complex NYC high school admissions process. In group workshops, families got clear, step-by-step guidance on how to use MySchools, build a balanced list of schools, and understand their options. BEAM offered support in both English and Spanish, hosted office hours for one-on-one help, and did an internal review of schools to guide students toward options that offer calculus and have strong graduation rates.
To mark the end of the year, students and their families celebrated at Lucky Strike with bowling, arcade games, and an unlimited buffet of pizza, chicken tenders, and fries.
Los Angeles
At Saturday classes, students took classes in number theory, proofs, Python, game design, and more.
October kicked off with the start of the high school admissions season. BEAM hosted workshops tailored to families’ level of knowledge about the admissions process and their plans for the following year. BEAM staff continued to host one-on-one meetings with families to ensure that they enrolled by the November 15 deadline.
8th graders participated in a Math Wrangle, where teams solved math problems and presented their solutions for feedback and debate. Several 8th graders presented and earned winning points on their work!
Students visited UC Irvine to learn all about the college, finishing the day with a scavenger hunt around campus. For many of our students, this was the first time they had visited UCI, and for a few younger students, it was their first time touring a college campus.
Students also visited Octavia Lab, a free makerspace in the Los Angeles Central Library. Students toured everything the lab has to offer — a photography station, a podcast studio, a music studio, digital illustration tools, and computers loaded with creative software. After the tour, students jumped in and used the equipment. Some tried 3D modeling and even started 3D printing, while others had a blast recording podcasts with their friends.
To celebrate the end of the semester, students and their families hit the ice at LA Live’s Ice Skating rink in Downtown LA. Over 100 people participated, with students ranging from 8th grade to sophomores in college. For many, it was their first time on the ice!
We can’t wait to see what our students do next! Stay tuned for spring updates, and to support the work that makes this possible, visit beammath.org/donate.