About
The Chicago Pre-College Science and Engineering Program (ChiS&E) offers math- and science-focused activities such as Algebra in kindergarten, Engineering design in 4th grade, and real-world coding by middle school. As students move through the grades, they can take part in Young Mathematicians (Geometry and Algebra), Mathematics of the Physical World, Introduction to Computer Programming, Sustainable Energy & Data Science, and Electrical & Computer Engineering. The program also includes STEM career days, mock interviews, field trips, and experiments in facilities like Fermilab and Argonne National Laboratory.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Saturdays during the school year and weekdays during summer, with seasonal sessions such as spring, summer, and fall; typical class times include 9:00am–12:00pm or 9:00am–12:30pm on Saturdays and 9:00am–3:00pm on weekdays for four-week summer sessions
• Price: Enrollment at ChiS&E is free.
ChiS&E uses a math-first multi-year progression that includes Algebra in Kindergarten, Physics in 7th Grade, and Bioengineering by 11th grade, with a curriculum that builds each year. Students can start at any age and grow with ChiS&E, and presentation and teamwork start early. Parents of early-grade students are required to join their kids in class, doing the same assignments in a parent-as-coach model, and parents attend early classes with children and learn too. Enrollment is free but it is described as a commitment.
The program reports a 100% college acceptance rate for its students and states that 80% of ChiS&E students choose STEM majors. Mentorships, mock interviews, and career exposure are part of the experience, along with experiments in world-class facilities like Fermilab and Argonne National Laboratory. ChiS&E is described as a national leader in K-12 STEM education and is based on the Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP).
Kenneth Hill founded the Chicago Pre-College Science and Engineering Program, Inc. (ChiS&E) in 2008. ChiS&E began serving students in first grade in 2009, added kindergarten the following spring, and has added a grade each year. Kenneth Hill also founded the Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP) in 1976. The leadership team includes Kenneth Hill as President & CEO, with a Board of Directors that includes Ajamu Baker, Mayisha Ealey, John Gavin, Barbara Bennett, Crystal Gallegos, and Katherine Volt.
Students receive instruction from highly trained teachers, and STEM college graduate students are there to lend a hand. Kenneth Hill is a graduate of Howard University with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and Wayne State University with a Master of Arts in Mathematics Education. Program partners include the University of Illinois, the University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermilab, as well as school teachers and principals. ChiS&E works in partnership with Chicago Public Schools and currently focuses on the Chicago communities of North Lawndale, Little Village, Englewood, Bronzeville, and Woodlawn, and today serves parents and students in more than 50 Chicago Public Schools.
The mission of the Chicago Pre-College Science & Engineering Program (ChiS&E) is to activate students’ natural curiosity and wonder by engaging them early on with the building blocks of math and science, teacher-parent mentoring, and active listening. Its extracurricular and experiential math-based program partners with world-class instructors, universities, and research laboratories so that students learn what it takes to become scientists and engineers. One parent testimonial states, “ChiS&E helped my daughter find her voice — and her future. She left with a full scholarship and a plan.” An alum reports, “Chi&SE really helped me in my pre-med courses as I'm now a senior psychology major graduating from Spelman College.”
Last updated April 18, 2026.
• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Saturdays during the school year and weekdays during summer, with seasonal sessions such as spring, summer, and fall; typical class times include 9:00am–12:00pm or 9:00am–12:30pm on Saturdays and 9:00am–3:00pm on weekdays for four-week summer sessions
• Price: Enrollment at ChiS&E is free.
ChiS&E uses a math-first multi-year progression that includes Algebra in Kindergarten, Physics in 7th Grade, and Bioengineering by 11th grade, with a curriculum that builds each year. Students can start at any age and grow with ChiS&E, and presentation and teamwork start early. Parents of early-grade students are required to join their kids in class, doing the same assignments in a parent-as-coach model, and parents attend early classes with children and learn too. Enrollment is free but it is described as a commitment.
The program reports a 100% college acceptance rate for its students and states that 80% of ChiS&E students choose STEM majors. Mentorships, mock interviews, and career exposure are part of the experience, along with experiments in world-class facilities like Fermilab and Argonne National Laboratory. ChiS&E is described as a national leader in K-12 STEM education and is based on the Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP).
Kenneth Hill founded the Chicago Pre-College Science and Engineering Program, Inc. (ChiS&E) in 2008. ChiS&E began serving students in first grade in 2009, added kindergarten the following spring, and has added a grade each year. Kenneth Hill also founded the Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP) in 1976. The leadership team includes Kenneth Hill as President & CEO, with a Board of Directors that includes Ajamu Baker, Mayisha Ealey, John Gavin, Barbara Bennett, Crystal Gallegos, and Katherine Volt.
Students receive instruction from highly trained teachers, and STEM college graduate students are there to lend a hand. Kenneth Hill is a graduate of Howard University with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and Wayne State University with a Master of Arts in Mathematics Education. Program partners include the University of Illinois, the University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermilab, as well as school teachers and principals. ChiS&E works in partnership with Chicago Public Schools and currently focuses on the Chicago communities of North Lawndale, Little Village, Englewood, Bronzeville, and Woodlawn, and today serves parents and students in more than 50 Chicago Public Schools.
The mission of the Chicago Pre-College Science & Engineering Program (ChiS&E) is to activate students’ natural curiosity and wonder by engaging them early on with the building blocks of math and science, teacher-parent mentoring, and active listening. Its extracurricular and experiential math-based program partners with world-class instructors, universities, and research laboratories so that students learn what it takes to become scientists and engineers. One parent testimonial states, “ChiS&E helped my daughter find her voice — and her future. She left with a full scholarship and a plan.” An alum reports, “Chi&SE really helped me in my pre-med courses as I'm now a senior psychology major graduating from Spelman College.”
Last updated April 18, 2026.
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