Junior Counselor/Teaching Assistant Discovery

About BEAM

The mission of BEAM is to create pathways for students from low-income and historically marginalized communities to become scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and computer scientists. Led by staff with these same technical backgrounds, BEAM believes that pathways to STEM careers are created through community, individual support, and access to advanced work that typically lies outside most school curricula. We work to directly support students and to transition them to other supportive enrichment programs that enable their future success.

BEAM's model provides continuous support from middle school through college graduation, including intense academic summer programs for middle school students (after 6th and 7th grade), weekend classes and mentoring, and STEM-focused support through college. Our program includes not just access to learning advanced math but also support finding and applying to other opportunities, including support with college admissions and financial aid. In addition to our academic content, bringing students into community is a key part of our mission and all of our work is designed to support that goal.

BEAM has grown from a small summer program serving 17 students in the summer of 2011 to a year-round, national program, serving 420 students at six summer program sites and 600 students in year-round programming in New York City and Los Angeles this school year. In addition, our BEAM National pilot program now reaches over 500 elementary-aged students in seven different states, working to create a new nationwide pathway modeled on our local work.

With our recent strategic plan, our team has committed to transforming the organization from a successful startup to a more mature and scalable organization that can drive change across the country.

This summer, be part of a transformative experience for students from low-income and historically marginalized communities with exceptional potential in math. Be a role model, guide, and friend to your students as they begin their path to advanced mathematics. 

Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics (BEAM), a project of the Art of Problem Solving Initiative, Inc., is seeking undergraduate students or recent graduates to be counselors and teaching assistants for a summer program that gives everyone a chance to excel in mathematics. During summer 2025, we will run two programs: BEAM Discovery and BEAM Summer Away. These programs are foundational to our mission, serving as students first experience with BEAM and the beginning of a 10-year support commitment (Pathway Program) respectively.

What You’ll Do:

At BEAM Discovery, you'll create a vibrant social experience for kids who are discovering for the first time that there are other people who like doing mathematics. In this role, you'll also be a TA for classes on topics such as number theory, combinatorics, problem solving, and computer science. Courses taught at BEAM are designed by our faculty members and focus on topics in mathematics that they’re passionate about and chosen by students based on what they are interested in. Be a role model and guide for students who are just beginning to set their educational path!

As a Counselor/Teaching Assistant, you will:

• Supervise students
• Run social and community activities
• Build a positive social environment
• Work with students on mathematics, both one-on-one and as a teaching assistant
• At Discovery, help students get to-and-from the program in travel groups 

Who You Are:

Junior Counselors must be strong mathematically, be reliable, and take initiative. They should be charismatic and able to help the kids have fun. All Junior Counselors must be at least 16 years old by the beginning of the program. In addition, applicants must be authorized to work for an employer in the US. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment visas at this time. International students able to obtain CPT or OPT are welcome to apply. 

For more information and program details, including examples of what a typical week would look like, please visit https://www.beammath.org/counselor-info/

What We Offer: 

• Working with awesome team, including a Site Director and Director of Student Life (who is an experienced counselor), and trained guidance counselor 
• Empowered as a leader – opportunity to exercise leadership skills in a fun environment 

Details:

LA Programs

During summer 2025, we will run math programs that serve Los Angeles middle schoolers. We run two programs: a residential camp at a college campus in Southern California, and a day program in central Los Angeles.

Application Process and Deadline:

• The initial step is to submit your application, including an unofficial transcript and responses to some short application questions, via our online portal. 
• If you are interested in being considered for multiple locations, you only need to complete one application. 
• When your application is complete, we will follow up with next steps. The final step of the process is an interview with an experienced BEAM staff member.

Details:

• Hours: Counselors will average around 7.5 hours on duty per day from 8:30-4:30
• Compensation: $18/hour. 
• Dates/Location: June 18-July 29th (off July 4th) at Rise Kohyang Middle School in Los Angeles, California