“High Schools Improving Lives with Engineering Projects in Community Service-Learning” Serve Explore Prepare Design Succeed Grow Pamela Turner EPICS High School Program Coordinator Purdue University

We define service learning as a type of experiential education in which students participate in service in the community and reflect on their involvement in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content and of the discipline and its relationship to social needs and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility. - Hatcher and Bringle, 1997

 Service – students participate in service for the underserved in a community  Academically-based – reinforces or connects with the subject material of the academic course  Reciprocity – Mutual needs, mutual learning  Reflection (Analysis, metacognition) – Students reflect (analyze) on their experience and learning

service- LEARNING Learning goals are primary; service outcomes are secondary SERVICE- learning Service outcomes are primary; learning goals are secondary service learning Service and learning goals are separate SERVICE- LEARNING Service and learning goals have equal weight; each enhances the other for all participants

 EPICS programs at 19 universities  35 High schools in five states ◦ California, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York

In Indiana: McCutcheon HS Jefferson HS IPS Career & Tech Center Park Tudor Columbus C4 Program Bedford North Lawrence HS Northrop HS Indiana Academy Arsenal Tech TC Howe School George Washington Comm. School eSchool Academy Arlington HS Frankfort HS In Michigan: University High School Caseville HS Owendale-Gagetown HS Harbor Beach HS North Huron Schools Laker HS Ubly Community Schools Bad Axe Schools In New York: Frederick Douglass Academy A Phillip Randolph Columbia Secondary School Syracuse City Schools (Henninger) Shoreham-Wading River HS (NEW) In Massachusetts: Leicester HS Agawam HS Prospect Hill Academy In California: High Tech High Pacific Ridge Andrew P. Hill HS Yerba Buena HS Pleasant Grove HS

 While interest in engineering is declining, civic engagement among teenagers is high  83% of high school seniors entering college participated in community service or service- learning ◦ Female and minority students more inclined to continue service ◦ Many honors diplomas require service  Service-learning in high schools rarely connected with engineering/science/math  EPICS provides an opportunity to tap into this wave of volunteerism

◦ In 2006, EPICS received a $1.5 million from CNCS (Learn & Serve America) to start EPICS High Along with Industry Support ◦ Collaboration with EPICS, Engineering Education/Inspire, and Purdue’s College of Education ◦ 4 EPICS university partners helped identify high schools initially ◦ Partnerships with Service-Learning State Leaders Across the Country, and Professional Engineering Organizations; SWE, NSBE, SHPE, etc.

Habitat for Humanity ◦ Energy efficiency analyses & home design recommendations ◦ Inventory management system ◦ Building construction tutorials & management systems Imagination Station Children’s Museum o Bicyle driven generator o Interactive wind tunnel Columbian Park Zoo o Design of educational materials o Interative kiosks o Primate behavioral conditioning system (monkey biscuit feeder)

EPICS Projects: Access & Abilities Greater Lafayette Area Special Services o Complex play environments for young children with physical disabilities Purdue University Campus o Campus navigation systems for students with disabilities o Adjustable bookshelf for students using wheelchairs Greater Lafayette Soap Box Derby o Designing and buiding specially equipped derby cars to accommodate a co-driver and handicapped children

Boiler Green Initiative o Green roof projects on campus o Campus recycling Deptartment of Forestry & Natural Resources o Design & construct wetland o Educational public about water quality Habitat for Humanity o Biotown, USA Habitat home o Inventing new hybrid building blocks in Haiti to reduce construction costs

Happy Hollow Elementary School ◦ Design & construct projects for the school’s interactive Rainforest Room ◦ Weather station and instrumentation that feeds meteorlogical data Lafayette School Corporation ◦ Traffic flow study at Jefferson HS ◦ Volunteer matching system for people to sign up to fill volunteer positions within the schools

 35 Schools Participating  Student Participants  41% Female Participants  34% Underrepresented Participants  Over 50% in Free & Reduced Lunch Programs Included in the mission of the EPICS High program is outreach to underrepresented populations. Reports from schools in October 2008 show the following impact:

 10 Rural Schools  7 Suburban Schools  18 Urban Schools  31 In-school Programs  4 After-schools Programs EPICS High is creating a variety of models to replicate throughout the nation. Of the 35 existing schools, current models are:

Wastewater diversion “green” field maintenance project Project Overview Use, up to now, discarded Department of Public Works water treatment plant, filter rinse water to:  Irrigate community & school ball fields  Establish school based experimental garden  Establish school based experimental aquaculture program to raise and release indigenous fish species in 2 local waterways  collect, refine and correlate learning objectives for subprojects listed above

Guidance Department ESL Assistant Software  Computers give welcome message and common task menu for Hispanic speakers entering McCutcheon  Main menu allows parent/student to select from options – enrollment, withdrawal, questions commonly asked  Completed computerized forms then revert to English for counselors/school use

 114 Seniors participating in semester long program List of Project Underway:  Recyclable materials storage unit  Modular back drop system  Custom stage stairs for animals  Light writer pendulum  Ball return system for a gravity well  Mobil art cart  Fish pin cover system  Sign storage and transportation cart  Custom sports equipment rack  Climbing tree structure 15 projects have already been delivered by High Tech High affecting an estimated 1650 people Raptor Cage Motorized Copy Holder

Projects Underway in 3 Areas Bioengineering: Aquaponics Tank in Harlem Senior Center Environmental Engineering: Design water quality sampling station for the East River Robotics: High school students are using their robotics program to work with middle and elementary age students in a mentoring program In Addition: Developing a system for students to partner with elementary school teachers and create projects to help them teach science The Frederick Douglass Academy

Pacific Ridge School Campus Stewardship Project  Recycling auditing/setup/maintenance  Worm bin setup/maintenance (food composting)  Designed and constructed athletic equipment storage box, garden equipment storage shed, and field-side benches  Designed and planted PRS garden (using worm compost) Elementary School Outreach Project  Formed partnership with local elementary school  Performed recycling/trash audit  Educating students on basics of recycling  Implementing school-wide recycling plan Project Green  Partner with regional restaurant chain for the purpose of helping them ‘go green’  Analyzing customer survey data

 Computerized Food Pantry Inventory Project Students are working with all food pantries in county to sep up a computerized inventory system for tracking food items and customer information

Leo Club  Storm drain marking  Specialized dog bowls for non-profit organization  Make Lions Club Eye Mobile handicap accessible  Design of school IDs Science Classes  Storm drain marking  Design and construction of storm drain stencils  Rapid stream bioassessment  Design of rain gardens  Develop water conservation educational materials  Salmon rearing and release project

 Still in draft format  Designed for flexibility  Great deal of input from EPICS High teachers  Consists of the following 5 modules that address 1 central topic per week: 1. Design 2. Service Learning 3. Cultural Context and Ethics 4. Teamwork 5. Communication Listed in the curriculum are 3 sections with each module that state learning objectives, national academic standards, and 45 lesson plans 

Easy Steps for getting started : 1. Teachers and/or administrators attend EPICS High training 2. Complete an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) on how you plan to implement and support your program 3. Identify an initial community partner 4. Identify need expertise in your school or community to lead or mentor 5. Recruit students 6. Go to work!

 Professional Development Opportunities  Support and Resources from EPICS Headquarters  Exposure to Other EPICS High Sites and Teachers  Access to University and Corporate Mentors for Needed Expertise and Resources  EPICS High Curriculum  Funding Leads That Arise Through Grants or Corporations  Access to Professional Societies such as National Society of Black Engineers, Society of Women in Engineering Members, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers members  To Be a Reconginzied Leader in Education

Assessment of the EPICS High program currently consists of: ◦ Site Visits ◦ Bi-Annual Progress Reports ◦ Student Surveys – Pre, Post and Senior ◦ Survey by Community Partners ◦ More Detailed Research Component Coming Soon!  Evaluation of the summer teacher trainings by participants

- 13 out of 15 schools participated in the surveying EPICS students particpating in the15 schools - 40% student response to survey

EPICS High held its 2nd summer training session in individuals representing approximately 40 schools attended. In 2009 trainings 150 individuals are expected to attend. Training will include both existing and new schools with sessions on the following topics:  Partnerships  Project Management  Teaming  Assessment  Engineering Content  Design  Social Context and Culture  The EPICS Model & Service-Learning Training is designed to give teachers and administrators the tools and resources needed to implement and maintain EPICS High programs “I knew very little prior to this training and now feel confident to start EPICS at my school.” 2007 Teacher Training Participant

EPICS has the potential to play a role in addressing many current issues including:  Declining interest in Engineering/Computing  Continued underrepresentation of women and minorities  Drop out rates  Improving STEM education  Global competitiveness  Building capacity in communities and schools  Compelling needs of underserved populations

EPICS High continues to bring together the resources for a large-scale national roll-out. Due to the success and overwhelming interest in the program, long-term plans have been accelerated. Plans for growth include:  More Schools!!  Securing funding to set up regional training centers  Formal patnerships with professional societies  Engaging state Service-Learning representatives  Training of regional trainers  2009 Learn and Serve America follow-on grant  Establishing Teacher Fellows program  Building Web Tools and Resources NEW – Find us on Facebook!

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