6,400+ children inspired for science this school year

With the end of another school year we close another cycle of our educational programmes. Through the dedication of volunteer scientists, organisation members, and the valued support of our partners, our Same Home Town (SHT) and Same Migrant Community (SMC) programmes reached 6,917 children this school year. A growth of 2,041 children compared to the previous year. Most important, 55% of these children met a scientist for the very first time.

In the school year 2025/2026, the SHT programme brought 140 scientists back to their home towns, connecting them with 6,434 children and reaching, for the first time, all 18 districts of Portugal. Across 77 municipalities and 203 schools, workshops were given on various topics: microplastics, living in space, coexisting in society, vaccines, preservation of cultural heritage, electricity, biomaterials, among others.

Andreia Pinho, a scientist from the SHT programme, says “Every project is unique, and this one had an extra bit of emotion, connection and responsibility. By coincidence (or not), one of the sessions took place in the exact classroom where I once sat as a student! Being there again, 20 years later, as a scientist and a science communicator is something I will not forget easily.”

Likewise, the SMC programme allowed meaningful connections between 404 children and 71 scientists across 12 migrant communities and eight countries: Belgium, Channel Islands, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Once again, science was brought to life in 19 European cities through 29 workshops conducted in the language shared by both children and scientists. Robotics, astronomy, data science, magnetism, microbes and enzymatic catalysis are just part of the plethora of different topics children were able to explore in their heritage language.

According to teacher Isabel Matias, who accompanied the workshop in Zurich, the workshop "was a very interesting experience due to the pupils' enthusiasm, as they were more attentive and engaged than in an ordinary lesson." Isabel also highlights that parents and guardians expressed their gratitude for the opportunity and shared with her "the children's excitement at getting to meet real scientists and that they came home telling them all about the experiments they had done in class."

With the closing of another successful chapter, Native Scientists' eyes remain on the future. Another term of preparations begins for the upcoming school year. The numbers show how it is possible to make science accessible and culturally relevant to children’s realities. With the continued support of our partners and the enthusiastic participation of the scientific community, we will keep connecting children and scientists towards a future where science is a possibility for everyone.

About Native Scientists

Native Scientists is a pan-European non-profit organisation connecting underserved children and scientists. It exists to broaden children's horizons, promoting scientific literacy and reducing inequalities through science outreach educational programmes.