As Black History Month gets underway, one program in Chicago is helping to create a sense of confidence for students. Participating in various science projects, the students in Project Syncere are learning how important math and science can be.

“When we learned the velocity we got to add it all up,” said 7th grader Jermaine Smith.

He is just one of a few middle schoolers at Dumas academy on the South Side who is participating in Project Syncere. Mechanical engineer Jason Coleman is one of the founders of the project.

It stands for supporting youths who need core engineering research experiments. The program teaches students the key math and science skills that are crucial in engineering.

“Most kids think engineers are train conductors or somebody that fixes cars but after being in the program they understand that engineers are people that create the technology they use on a daily basis,” said Coleman.

The project started just 2 years ago but it’s already spread to 15 schools and is helping more than 800 students learn more about math and science.

“It lets me know that I can do more than what I usually do,” continued Smith.

It is that attitude that the project hopes to instill in all the students.