A little over a month after one of St. Louis’ most beloved and established youth programs was abruptly suspended, those who helped run it and the families involved still don’t know exactly why.
By most accounts, the decades-old Youth Exploring Science (YES) program at the St. Louis Science Center successfully guided young people from underserved communities into college and careers in science, technology, engineering and math — or STEM. The affiliated annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Community STEM Showcase was also a success, drawing high numbers of visitors from across the metro area.
Most of the 90 young participants earned roughly $40 to $60 weekly in stipends, which helped them pay for school needs or cover urgent household expenses. The program was doing so well that in June, the Burns & McDonnell engineering and architectural firm awarded the Science Center $250,000 to expand YES.
“This donation will allow us to deepen the impact of our YES initiative,” Dr. Ray Vandiver, SLSC CEO, said in a statement at the time.
But just a few months later, leaders at the Science Center abruptly announced suspension of the program.
It happened Dec. 16, nine days before Christmas and about a month before the King Day showcase. The six YES employees arrived for what they thought was a routine weekly staff meeting. Instead, Science Center leadership and human resources representatives told them the program was being suspended.
Staff escorted out
It was difficult to hear, Lauren Patrick, program manager and the longest-tenured YES educator, told the St. Louis American. Staff were told to collect their belongings immediately and were escorted off the premises. Patrick received her final paycheck that day, with unused vacation pay mailed later, and learned there would be no severance. She had worked with YES for 14 years, starting as an intern.
“I have felt disheartened,” Patrick said. “Working with the YES teams was always such a pleasure. I looked forward to going to work. It has been disheartening, destabilizing.”
No one involved in the program has been told exactly why it was suspended or how long it will be gone.
Patrick said her separation paperwork described the suspension as indefinite, citing “organizational changes.” Letters sent to parents said YES would come to a “full stop” for a “strategic reset designed to build something stronger for the future.”
The letter came from Vandiver, who did not respond to a message sent through LinkedIn. The Science Center’s communications office also did not respond to requests to speak with leadership.
Parents were told the decision followed a review by the center’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee — a panel Patrick said neither she nor other educators knew existed.
Dr. Lamara Warren, the Science Center’s DEAI strategist, did not respond to a message left through LinkedIn.
Questions about money
Organizational changes are often tied to budget concerns, though it is unclear whether finances played a role in the YES suspension.
The Science Center’s 2025 expenditures have not yet been made public. While 2024 records show an $18 million shortfall, the largest increase in spending that year appeared to be pension costs, which people close to the center said may be linked to high leadership turnover. By comparison, the YES program cost about $1 million annually, according to those familiar with its operations.
Neither Science Center leadership nor the Zoo Museum District — which distributes tax revenue to the institution — responded to requests for comment. State and local elected officials also did not respond, though a spokesperson for Mayor Cara Spencer said the mayor’s office was aware of the suspension but did not know the reason behind it.
As far as participants knew, the program was thriving. Students had recently been interviewed by a private consultant and were told the feedback would help shape the future of YES. There were no classroom visits or signs the program was under review, Patrick said.
“It was absolutely a surprise,” she said. “We had already been told by the executive team to prep for the (King Day) showcase and had been working all semester with multiple partners to prepare.”
She added, “As an educator, my expectation was to finish the school year.”
For the 90 students involved, YES served as a pipeline to opportunities — helping with resumes, cover letters, college recommendations and providing stability beyond academics. Students entered the program in eighth grade and became eligible to earn stipends at 14. Many families came to rely on that income, Patrick said.
A consultant’s report recommended that if changes were made, there should be a transition plan to avoid harming students.
Community concern
“My concern is for the students,” said Nicole Adewale, a longtime YES community partner and co-owner of an engineering company with her husband, Abe, a member of the Science Center’s Board of Trustees. Their daughters also went through the program.
“Those students had resumes, transcripts and records from the high school readiness program in their computer accounts,” Adewale said. “I’m concerned that these children, especially those counting on the income, were just dropped with no level of consideration, and that’s just not fair.”
Students were suddenly unable to access their online accounts, Patrick said, and the disruption came too late in the academic year to find comparable college-prep support elsewhere.
Families flooded Patrick with calls and messages after news of the suspension spread.
“I had to explain to families, ‘I want to help you but I no longer work at the Science Center,’” she said. “It is devastating because this was the outreach branch of the Science Center.”