Our Mission
To spread the love and joy of STEAM-learning (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) to youth of all backgrounds across Central New York through mentorships with passionate high school students. Using our unique identity, we involve teenagers in the community to immerse themselves in service and develop themselves as a means to inspire younger students.
Our Vision
To create a community of collaboration, learning, and lasting friendships across Central New York, through the widespread celebration of science. To facilitate the development of generations of teenagers as leaders and integral members of their community.
History
SciExcite Inc. was founded in the summer of 2015 by Alena Zhang during her sophomore year at Fayetteville-Manlius High School. Alena, alongside friends Siddhi Nadkarni and Meredith Levy, worked SciExcite Inc. to official 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in July 2015 and in the fall of 2015, began recruiting members and organizing events. The organization’s first ever event was at the Manlius Library, where kids interacted with winter-themed experiments such as making sodium polyacrylate snow globes. And in January of 2016, SciExcite Inc. began its first long-term programming in partnership with the Hopeprint Association, a refugee center in Syracuse, NY. Since then, the organization has gone on to partner with 26 other community organizations and has worked with over 10,000 kids, hosting events at various locations like the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology and the New York State Fair.
New Administration
Prior to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), SciExcite Inc. played a much more prominent role in its local community. However, over the course of the pandemic, coordination decreased and the organization saw less activity each year. New administration initiated under Co-CEOs Rayhan Rinzan and Nicole Zheng in 2023 looks to revitalize the organization’s presence and rekindle connections with former partners and collaborators. SciExcite Inc. is now focused on proactively establishing new networks to foster fruitful collaborations and outreach opportunities.
