About GeoKids LINKS

The Saint Joseph’s University GeoKids LINKS program involves a partnership with the Wagner Free Institute of Science (WFIS) and the School District of Philadelphia. Fellows work with WFIS children’s educators and elementary school teachers to develop and present science lessons to children in grades K-5. The lessons are organized into semester-long units, which include Environmental Science themes. Fellows and their SJU faculty mentors serve as content resources for the WFIS educators and the public school teachers, and are role models and teachers for the children. In addition, WFIS educators and public school teachers assist Fellows in becoming familiar with pedagogical methods in K-5 education and with the special educational needs of urban minority children.

Holly Clark - Children's Educator

Holly Clark came to the Institute in July 2002 as the second full-time children’s educator. Ms. Clark holds a Master of Science degree in Environmental Education from Lesley University through the Audubon Expedition Institute and a Bachelor of Science in biology from Bowling Green State University. She has considerable teaching experience in both classroom and informal educational settings, including the Russell Byers Charter School in Philadelphia, the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative, and Greenacres Foundation in Ohio, where she served as a naturalist. Her voluntary activities include work for Philadelphia Cares, garden-tending for the Philadelphia Horticultural Society, teaching composting to at-risk youth in Virginia Beach, coaching basketball for an inner-city high school girls team, and ongoing work with the permaculture community. Ms. Clark works with Ms. Semos and Ms. Fecher on development and presentation of the Institute’s programs for children, including field trip lessons, the GeoKids LINKS partnerships, local outreach, and teacher training workshops.

Sue Glassman - Director

I am the Director of the Wagner Free Institute of Science. As Director, I oversee all of the Institute’s Programs and work in conjunction with staff on program development and planning. I also organize and develop the adult education series every year and am responsible for the ongoing preservation of the building and collections. I have an undergraduate degree in biology and completed graduate studies in architecture and historic preservation at the University of Pennsylvania. I have research interests in history, architecture, and urbanism and have served as a consultant on a number of building preservation and interpretive projects in Philadelphia. I am also deeply interested in the history of natural history and the development of museums in the nineteenth century (for obvious reasons). I work closely with the Institute’s children’s educators to plan for the growth and development of the GeoKids program and collaborated with Karen Snetselaar on the National Science Foundation grant. I am committed to the program’s goal of enriching the lives of North Philadelphia children through the rich resources of our collections and staff, and through our partnerships with local schools and Saint Joseph’s University.

The GeoKids LINKS collaboration was launched with funding from The National Science Foundation (DGE#0440506 and #019303).  Continuing support has been provided by The Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Saint Joseph’s University, The Wagner Free Institute of Science, and The Dietrich W. Botstiber Foundation.

The following organizations have provided funding for GeoKids through donations or grants to the Wagner Free Institute of Science: 

• Alston-Beech Foundation
• Anonymous
• The Barra Foundation
• BAYADA Home Health Care
• Cameron Foundation
• The Claneil Foundation
• Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation
• The Dow Chemical Company
• First Niagara Bank
• Joseph and Marie Field Fund
• Elsie Lee Garthwaite Memorial Foundation
• Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation
• The Hamilton Family Foundation
• Hassel Foundation
• The Allen C. Hilles Fund
• Mayer & Morris Kaplan Foundation
• Lincoln Financial Foundation
• Christian R. & Mary F. Lindback Foundation
• Lomax Family Foundation
• The Christopher Ludwick Foundation
• PA Dept. of Community and Economic Development
• Philadelphia Cultural Fund
• Philadelphia Chapter, Garden Club of America
• The Lawrence Saunders Fund
• Scholler Foundation
• Hoxie Harrison Smith Foundation
• Samuel Tabas Family Foundation
• TEVA Pharmaceuticals
• Thayer Corporation
• Henrietta Tower Wurts Memorial