SciAlley, a new program offering hands-on science enrichment classes for ages 4 to 13, is having an open house on Saturday, October 27, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The founder is science educator Farah Qureshi, a Plainsboro resident for eight years. The event is at 43 Stouts Lane, Monmouth Junction.
“I believe science education is essential for everyone no matter what their path,” she says. “Introducing science through meaningful experience early on in a child’s life will help to build a strong foundation for lifelong learning of science.”
Born in Pakistan, Qureshi came to the United States when she was two. Raised in Queens, the family moved to Woodbridge when she in the fifth grade and she has been a New Jersey resident since then.
A graduate from Douglass College with a bachelor’s degree in biology, she earned a master of science in cell and developmental biology from a joint program with Rutgers and UMDNJ, and a graduate certificate in applied statistics from Penn State.
Qureshi, who has more than 10 years of experience working in education, has taught at many levels including elementary, middle school, high school, community college, and to adults in professional development classes. She has also worked in clinical trials and the pharmaceutical industry.
Her husband, also a graduate of Rutgers, is a programmer with UMDNJ in New Brunswick. Their three children have attended Noor-Ul-Iman School in Monmouth Junction since kindergarten. The school is affiliated with Islamic Society of Central Jersey, an organization of Muslim Americans in the area. They are now in the fifth, ninth, and eleventh grades. The family moved from Piscataway to be closer to the school. They chose Plainsboro due to the good educational system — just in case the private school did not work out for any of the children.
Activities at the new science program include research based modules to prepare children to develop scientific ways of thinking. Classes are offered daytime for homeschoolers, after school on weekdays, and Saturday mornings. A five session course is $105. “Sparking interest in science early on gives kids the chance to explore, discover, and create,” says Quereshi.
Hands-On Science, SciAlley, 43 Stouts Lane, Monmouth Junction. Saturday, October 27, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Open house for hands-on science for ages 4 to 13. 732-322-3047. www.scialley.com.
