It’s March Madness which means it’s time for you and your science buddies to play with Darwin’s Balls benefiting STEM education. This is the fifth (!!) year we’ve done this and have funded 17 projects totaling over $11,000 in charity donations. That’s a lotta Lego robotics, folks!! So grab your science posse, throw down some lab challenges, talk some smack, throw in your contribution and get your brackets entered by THURSDAY, MARCH 16 at  10 am EST.

Abstract:

Each year we fund STEM projects in high poverty schools through DonorsChoose. This year we have ambitious projects and talented kids who will be helped by your contributions. Contribute, sign up for bracket management and enter to win great prizes and good vibes.

Methods:

Go to DonorsChoose. Pick one of the Awesome Projects below and donate $10 per bracket if you’re a PI or $5 per bracket if you’re a trainee.

ALL THE PROJECTS!!

1. Slides for the Bronx – FUNDED!!
2. Comfy Science Seats for Colorado -FUNDED!!
3. Mississippi Science Notebooks – FUNDED!!!
4. Bacteria Experiment Awesomeness in California – FUNDED!!!!
5. Electromagnetism for Middle Schoolers in Tennessee – FUNDED!!!!!
6. ANATOMY PROJECT FOR THIRD GRADERS!!!! – FUNDED!!!!!!!
7. SCIENCE STORAGE IN COLORADO FUNDED!!!!!!!!
8. Make a jungle math space for 3rd graders! – FUNDED!!!!!!!!
9. Science White Board for 5th Graders in OK -FUNDED!!!!!!
10. Butterfly Metamorph Kits for 3rd Graders – FUNDED!!!!!!!!!!!!
11. Mastering Math Table in TX  -FUNDED!!
12. K’Nex Engineering Tools for 3rd Graders in MI – FUNDED!!!!!!!
13. iPads for Special Needs Kids to show “I Can” Works in Bronx – FUNDED!!!!!!!!
14. Cell Imaging for K-5 Students in MS – FUNDED!!!
15. Math Manipulatatives in WA for 6-8th graders -FUNDED!!!
16. Butterfly Science for High Poverty k-5 IN -FUNDED!!!!!

17. Chromebooks for High Schoolers in Ferguson, MO

If all these projects get funded then, tag, you’re it! You pick the next one for us to fund and post a link below in Comments. Look for High Poverty STEM Grades 3-8 projects that are $500 or less.

NOW! Set up your CBS Sports Profile for Darwin’s Balls The NCAA posted brackets this weekend. It’s super easy. Once you set up your profile, head back to this link and you can go to ‘My Brackets’ and pick your favorites. Or random teams if you have no clue. If you’ve done a couple of DonorsChoose projects, fill out up to three brackets. (My Jr Squirrel filled out one and I’m going to claim credit if he wins!)

You’ll need to enter your brackets by Thursday, March 16th at 10 am EST to be eligible.

Results: Everyone who plays and contributes to Donor’s Choose gets super snazzy certificate from The Edge for Scholars saying “I’m the Badass Who Played with Darwin’s Balls” signed by the highest ranking random Edge for Scholars person we can get (which is likely to be a squirrel). But it will still look super fly hanging over your desk.

The winner of this year’s bracket gets….BOOKS! You’ll get three amazing and inspiring books on time and management that were featured on EdgeforScholars.org

Discussion: Good luck and check us out on twitter at @mclneuro or @edgeforscholars cuz we hope to have some Twitter science all-stars playing as well. See if you can beat ’em!

About the Author

Screen Name

Fighty Squirrel, PhD, Awe.Some.

About Me

The Fighty Squirrel is very thin pseud for a molecular and cellular neurobiology type who runs a lab studying neurodegeneration. She is mother to a 14yo half child/half honey badger and 16yo half child/half border collie and a Reviewing Editor at Journal of Neuroscience. She also sort of a badass at air hockey. She speaks for herself unless her employer likes it, in which case it's patented.