About
The Chicago Pre-College Science and Engineering Program (ChiS&E) offers Little Civil Engineer (+ Algebra Concepts), Little Chemical Engineer (+ Algebra Concepts), Little Electrical Engineer (+ Algebra Concepts), Little Mechanical Engineer (+ Algebra Concepts), Little Computer Scientists (Block Coding), Young Mathematicians (Geometry), Young Mathematicians (Algebra), Young Physicists (Physics & Algebra), Young Computer Scientists (Coding), All About Energy (Data Science, Environmental Justice), Electrical and Computer Engineering with Arduino, and Summer Internships. The program serves students from kindergarten through grade 12.
Programs
- Little Civil Engineer (+ Algebra Concepts) — Kindergarten · Saturdays during the school year; weekdays in summer
- Little Chemical Engineer (+ Algebra Concepts) — Grade 1 · Saturdays during the school year; weekdays in summer
- Little Electrical Engineer (+ Algebra Concepts) — Grade 2 · Saturdays during the school year; weekdays in summer
- Little Mechanical Engineer (+ Algebra Concepts) — Grade 3 · Saturdays during the school year; weekdays in summer
- Little Computer Scientists (Block Coding) — Grade 4 · Saturdays during the school year; weekdays in summer
- Young Mathematicians (Geometry) — Grade 5 · Saturdays during the school year; weekdays in summer
- Young Mathematicians (Algebra) — Grade 6 · Saturdays during the school year; weekdays in summer · 16 Saturday sessions.
- Young Physicists (Physics & Algebra) — Grade 7 · Saturdays during the school year; weekdays in summer
- Young Computer Scientists (Coding) — Grade 8 · Saturdays during the school year; weekdays in summer
- All About Energy (Data Science, Environmental Justice) — Grades 9 & 10 · Saturdays during the school year; weekdays in summer
- Electrical and Computer Engineering with Arduino — Grades 11 & 12 · Saturdays during the school year; weekdays in summer
- Summer Internships — Grades 11 & 12 · Summer
At a glance
- Ages: 5–18 years old
- General schedule: Saturdays during the school year; weekdays in summer
About the provider
ChiS&E was founded in 2008. It began serving students in first grade in 2009, added grade K the following spring, and has added a grade each year. Program partners include the University of Illinois, the University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, and Fermilab. The page says 100% College Acceptance Rate and that 80% of ChiS&E students choose STEM majors. ChiS&E works in partnership with Chicago Public Schools and currently focuses on North Lawndale, Little Village, Englewood, Bronzeville, and Woodlawn. It serves parents and students in more than 50 Chicago Public Schools.
ChiS&E is free to attend. It is not a casual drop-in. Weekly sessions are required, as is homework and full participation. Students and parents, especially in grades K–5, attend together. Parents of early-grade students are required to join their kids in class. Parents attend two orientation sessions. The program starts every new family with a required information session.
What families say
“ChiS&E helped my daughter find her voice — and her future. She left with a full scholarship and a plan.” — Parent of Angelise, now studying Biology
“ChiS&E really helped me in my pre-med courses as I'm now a senior psychology major graduating from Spelman College” — ChiS&E alumnus/alumna
“ChiS&E catches the imagination of young people to the potential of math and science as tools for building their dreams by developing their skills to act in the world as professionals, doctors, engineers, scientists and computer scientists. It gives them the power of choice.” — Parents
Last updated November 7, 2026.
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