Silke Jasso
Kayla and Alexis Cain stand out academically and they say it’s all thanks to the Chicago Pre-College Science and Engineering Program.
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The Cain twins have been attending Saturday classes for the program since they were 9 years old and told CBS they enjoy the classes. Kayla and Alexis, who are now in eighth grade, both excel in the classroom and earned near perfect scores the CPS Selective Enrollment test crediting the Pre-College program as having helped them.
“They know the importance of education,” the mother of the girls, Kris McDonald, told CBS. “I’m blessed in that they’ve always seemed to just enjoy it.”
The program, which was started by long time educator Kenneth Hill, is also referred to as Chi-C and offers students the chance to learn without breaking bank. It is specifically designed to help young minorities work on their math and science skills.
“Solving problems in engineering and solving math problems, they begin to develop the self-confidence that they can do this,” Hill told CBS.
While at Saturday classes, the girls worked on projects such as building a stable bridge out of popsicle sticks which they said was a fun experience. The classes the girls take have helped prepare them for the ones they are taking in school, according to CBS.
Edward Cain, the father of the girls, told CBS the program is different from school because it allows them more opportunities to work on projects.
“Where in school you might do one science project a year, with this program it’s something every weekend,” he told CBS.
The girls will be attending Whitney Young High School next year to continue working hard on their academics and Hill said it is his hope that his program helps prepare students like them for the workforce. McDonald said the program is important and she believes it says a lot about Hill.
“I think it’s incredible,” McDonald told CBS. “Being able to do that for free for so many students just says something about the type of person that [Hill] is.”
