Service
2021-2022 Recap
people impacted by STEM and Arts outreach
Valentine's Day cards delivered
STEM and STEAM books donated
Science Bears delivered
STEM and Arts workshop participants
STEM, STEAM, and Arts Education
Art Technically
Art Technically is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on a mission to promote and provide STEM and Arts education to K-12 students through in-person and virtual workshops, free and open-source curricula and educational resources, STEM and Arts projects serving special interest groups, educational programming for K-12 students, and advocacy for the importance of STEM and Arts Education. I currently serve as director of Art Technically, managing volunteers and programming; interfacing with school, nonprofit, media, and government partners; writing curricula, teaching workshops and at events, and leading organizational mission-development with the board.
Astrobotany Workshop
The Astrobotany workshop teaches students biology, physics, and space science topics through the field of astrobotany, or growing plants in space.
Above: In-person astrobotany workshop at the Atoka Community Center in Tipton County, TN.
Below: Virtual astrobotany workshop for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s 26th annual Black Families Technologies Awareness Day 2022.
Link to Lesson Plan.
I Am a Scientist Artwork
In this mini-lesson plan, students use mixed media to imagine themselves as scientists. Their photos are taken using an instant camera, and they use their photos, paper scientist costume cutouts, stickers, and other mixed media to express their vision for themselves as a scientist.
Science Bears
“Science Bears” is a special Art Technically project that creates scientist-themed teddy bears for children in need such as children at Child Advocacy Centers and family shelters. Recently, 27 science bears were delivered to the Memphis Child Advocacy Center in Fall 2021.
Jitterbugs
One of Art Technically’s mini-lesson plans teaches students about simple circuits using ‘Jitterbugs’. In this STEAM workshop, students design pom-pom bugs using craft supplies and attach a vibrating motor to their bug to make them dance!
Science Suitcases
“Science Suitcases” provides K-12 schools with ‘suitcases’ of STEM-themed books, games, and educational materials. Suitcases provide books that help students explore unique and interesting STEM topics while practicing their literacy skills.
BFTAD Panel
Art Technically held a Young Black Scientists and Engineers Panel with creative coding workshop for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s 26th annual Black Families Technologies Awareness Day 2022.
St. Patrick’s Day Arts Workshops 2022
Irish dance and mixed media classes were held throughout rural Tipton County, Tennessee in March 2022 to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and promote arts education and exercise.
Storytimes and Book Donations 2023
Lily is hosting STEM storytimes and donating books to libraries and schools across the U.S. during her year as Miss United States.
Love Letters: Coding Cards for Seniors
“Love Letters” is a workshop that teaches students introductory coding through creating greeting cards. The cards are themed to a season, usually Valentine’s Day, and are printed and donated to senior meal delivery services. These ‘love letters’ help students learn to code and participate in a service project that helps bring joy to disadvantaged seniors.
Love Letters 2022
Over 2000 Valentine’s Day cards were delivered to seniors in Tennessee through the Kiwanis club of Franklin County and the Metropolitan Interfaith Association (MIFA’s) Meals on Wheels program, our very first partners from back in 2016.
Love Letters 2018 with Edmund Burke School, the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington, and American University
Cards for Iona Senior Services of Tenleytown DC’s senior meal delivery service
Love Letters 2019 with Edmund Burke School, the Jeleff Boys and Girls Club, and American University
Cards for Iona Senior Services of Tenleytown DC’s senior meal delivery service
Love Letters 2019 (creation of the Embassy Row addendum featuring international flags made with code for Washington, DC’s embassy row community.)
Love Letters 2019 (creation of the Halloween addendum for Watergate Apartment Complex’s “Spooky Mad Science Expo”)
The free and open-source Love Letters Lesson Plan, written and tested by Lily and the Art Technically team, is hosted on arttechnically.org/workshops/love-letters
Love Letters 2016-2017
Introduction of Campaign by DoSomething and Meals on Wheels America. Cards for Memphis Interfaith Association’s Meals on Wheels program.
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals & St. jude
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals is a North American non-profit organization that raises funds for children’s hospitals, medical research, and community awareness of children’s health issues. St. Jude Children’s Hospital is a research hospital in Lily’s hometown, Memphis, on a mission to treat and cure childhood cancer. Lily has raised over $7,000 to date for CMN and St. Jude to date.
Diverse Artist and Scientist Barbie Doll Donations – Holidays 2021 Lily curated and delivered 30 artist and scientist Barbie dolls to Le Bonheur Children’s hospital in Memphis and Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville in December 2022. The top photo shows her and other Miss America titleholders with infant blanket donations at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in 2017.
American University Meme Stickers Lily designed 29 stickers and sold them for Children’s National Medical Center throughout 2018-19. The project raised about $400 for CNMC. A set of stickers from “Series 3: Support and Sport” was sold in a Memphis boutique during October 2018 and others in that series inspired a follow-up fundraiser for American University Cheerleading’s nationals fund. Some of the most popular designs included a Magic School Bus version of the university shuttles, Metro Red Line stickers, and alumni stickers
Stickers Sale Page Two month campaign update
Podcast Interview with AWOL Magazine’s Not Your Average Podcast on the project
Miscellaneous
IHOP National Pancake Day in benefit of CMN
Face Painting for Community Day at The Grove Apartments (Lily was a lifeguard then administrative assistant / leasing agent there during high school).
Mid-south Youth Literacy Council
Chick-fil-a Mid-South Daddy Daughter Dance
Literacy Event at Treadwell Elementary School
Big Brothers Big Sisters Macy’s Fashion Show
A fashion show to support America’s largest mentorship program!
I gave a Keynote at the AI Expo in Washington, DC
I gave a keynote at the AI Expo in Washington, DC this week on the importance of STEM education on national competitiveness.
2024 Total Eclipse Workshops with NASA and Art Technically
I spoke to over 1,200 students this week about the upcoming solar eclipse! I am so grateful that my research assistantship at NASA also supports community STEM engagement events like these.
Albany St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2024
I walked with my friends at the West Sand Lake Fire Department in the Albany St. Patrick’s Day Parade again this year!
Letters to a PreScientist (STEM Pen Pals)
Letters to a PreScientist is an organization that pairs scientists up with middle schoolers through a pen pal program to broaden students awareness of STEM career paths.
Love Letters Project 2024
1,000 of these ‘Love Letters’ coded by students during STEAM workshops over the past year went to seniors in Rensselaer County, New York yesterday!
Black Families Technology Awareness Day 2024
This was the 3rd year I’ve taught an Art Technically Astrobotany workshop at BFTAD. Students in the astrobotany workshop learned about plant, food, and space science and toured the plant lab and smart conference room at RPI’s Center for Lighting Enabled Systems and Applications (LESA)
2023 STEM Lab Coat and Year Recap
Every year, I have a lab coat that I let all of my students sign. This year, I happened to also be Miss United States and brought it with me during my travels across the U.S. as I was promoting STEM education.
I helped students talk to Astronauts on the ISS
Last week, Brighton Elementary School students asked questions to astronauts living on the International Space Station.
NewsChannel13: Miss United States from RPI passes crown after whirlwind year
Article from WNYT NewsChannel13 about my year as Miss United States.
My Farewell as Miss United States
I’m so grateful for the year I’ve had and all of the wonderful Americans I’ve met in every corner of the country.
I visited all 50 states during my year as Miss United States
During my past year as the reigning Miss United States, I visited all 50 U.S. states! I held science storytimes at public libraries, schools, and science museums and attended parades and community events across the country! I’m so grateful for all of the people I’ve met and memories I’ve made during this journey.