Massachusetts STEM Pipeline Fund Enhancing Student Interest and Retention in STEM Fields Request for Proposals 2008 PV STEMNET November 28, 2007

Goal  RFP: Increase the number of Massachusetts students who prepare for and enter STEM careers  PV STEMNET Executive Committee: Focus on Out of School Time programs for underserved groups

Timeline Proposals due Jan. 11, 2008 Awards February 11, 2008 Projects must conclude February 28, 2011

Awards $4,000,000 available Up to $500,000 per grant Up to 3 years Strong commitment to evaluation Existing STEM networks may apply

Eligibility Partnership – higher ed, k12, business … Strong lead partner with history of STEM Ed Based on need, research Matching Involvement of existing regional networks Does not have to be submitted by the network lead partner

Review Highlights Building upon existing programs which focus on best practices and research (pilot programs will be weighted unfavorably unless applicants demonstrate that no existing program achieves the same objectives) Continuing the work of current, collaborative Regional Networks and regional initiatives Concentrating on ways to increase the pipeline of female, minorities and potential first- generation college students who choose to pursue STEM careers

Budget highlights No partner receives more than 50% Evaluation 8-10% Overhead not over 18.6% No hardware costs or space rental

Last time … RFP asked for Network Proposals Members submitted proposal summaries, presented them at a meeting We posted the proposals and a summary table, got feedback Obtained consensus and submitted a proposal including most of these ideas

Process this time Members present briefly at this meeting Then what?

Proposals so far … Peter Polito and Linda Marston, Springfield College, STEM in Action Marie Silver, UMass, STEM RAYS Steve Brewer, UMass, Programming Club Bob Dickerman, STCC Kathy Davis and John Francisco, UMass, After School Math Clubs Nancy Roy, Ludlow, ? Others?

“STEM IN ACTION” a comprehensive program to deal with what has been described by many as a critical situation facing our Commonwealth and indeed the nation.

“STEM IN ACTION” “STEM IN ACTION” is presented as a concept proposal that will meet the overall goal of “enhancing student interest and retention in STEM fields”. This proposal builds upon several successful initiatives that have been implemented by Springfield College, including its “Emerging Scientists” Summer Enrichment Camp, “Leaders for Tomorrow”, and the “Partners” program. These very successful programs have collectively targeted elementary and middle-school students who are under-represented minority students and are from families with middle to lower socio-economic status.

“STEM IN ACTION” “STEM IN ACTION” will pull together a number of contributors that Springfield College believes are essential to successfully enhancing student interest and retention in STEM fields.

“STEM IN ACTION” “Leaders of Tomorrow in STEM Fields”- A summer program that focuses upon leadership skills, self- confidence, and personal skills that have an impact on life-long success in STEM fields.

“STEM IN ACTION” “STEM After School Program”- an aggressive after school program that is led by STEM sponsors to actively engage elementary and middle-school students in exciting on-going projects developed mutually with students based upon their particular interests. This program will be offered on the campus of Springfield College.

“STEM IN ACTION” “STEM Partners”- a program in which elementary and middle-school students will be partnered with personal mentors who are actively engaged in a STEM field. These mentors may be faculty or undergraduate and graduate students at Springfield College.

“STEM IN ACTION” “STEM Career Days”- a series of one-day programs that will take place after school and during the summer that will engage elementary and middle-school students along with their parents in career opportunities in the STEM fields and led by successful STEM practitioners who come from similar under-represented minorities and backgrounds of similar socio-economic status. The Springfield College Career Center will aid in the development of this series by seeking out these STEM practitioners. We would also like to actively engage the Regional Technology Corporation as a partner in this endeavor.

“STEM IN ACTION” “Academic Success in STEM Fields”- a series of one day programs that are designed to present to elementary and middle-school students those strategies and best practices that lead to academic success in STEM fields. These sessions will be led by professional staff from Springfield College’s Academic Success Center and will be held both after school and during the summer months.

“STEM IN ACTION” “STEM Scholars in Action”- a yearly culminating event in which elementary and middle- school students who have participated in the “STEM After School Program” present their projects in an open arena along with their STEM sponsor. Each project will be judged by a group of STEM professionals who are volunteers from local STEM industries. Various awards will be presented. All participating students will receive a certificate of achievement for their project. Parents will be encouraged to participate in this event as parent mentors.

“STEM IN ACTION” Springfield College has a long and successful history of community engagement and in particular programs that reach out to under- represented minorities in the local community. Partnerships have been established between Springfield College that can be used for this proposal. These include the DeBerry Elementary School, Brookings School, Kensington School, and the Renaissance School.

“STEM IN ACTION” Overall Budget Estimate:$400K –Coordination and Assessment –Transportation and Food Direct Participant Cost –Activities, curriculum materials –Staffing

“STEM IN ACTION” Budget Estimate by Component: –Coordination and Assessment of the Entire Project: $40K- $45K per year –"Leaders of Tomorrow in STEM Fields":- $20K –"STEM After School Program"- $20K –"STEM Partners"- $10K –"STEM Career Days"- $10K –"Academic Success in STEM Fields"- $10K –"STEM Scholars in Action"- $20K Number of New Students per Year:20-30 using a model that keeps students from previous years engaged in the program, at least as student mentors

STEM RAYS Marie Silver, Mort Sternheim Franklin County Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Research Academies for Young Scientists

Brought to you by … National Science Foundation –$800,000 for 3 years –1 of 16 projects in AYS program UMass –STEM Education Institute –School of Education Greenfield Community College –Initiated idea for project Franklin County business and nonprofit partners Franklin County School Districts

What is STEM RAYS? A model “out of school” science program Encourage students to study science and math Consider careers in STEM fields

What’s Special About STEM RAYS? Connects students and teachers with environmental research programs at UMass, GCC, Smith, UNH –Arsenic in the environment, Connecticut River watershed, birds, weather and climate, air quality Students do experiments, collect and analyze data relevant to these research efforts Field trips, annual research conference at UMass Research study of the effects of teachers’ and students’ participation in scientific research

Features of Student Programs Weekly 2 hour after school programs, grades week summer programs, grades 6-8 (2007, 2008) – 40 students July students per school 9 elementary and 2 middle schools in successful January – June 2007 pilot (~100 students) ~200 students and parents at June Saturday research reporting conference ~19 schools in full program, Sept. 07 – Dec. 08

STEM RAYS Evaluation For the first year of a program, the speed of start-up and quality of the first- year offering have been exceptional when compared to other projects we have evaluated, with recruitment of teachers and commencement of activities starting almost immediately upon receipt of funds.

STEM RAYS Evaluation, cotd. This efficiency is due to the experience and dedication of the leadership, who have shown themselves very attentive to details of the program and to have strong and constant avenues of communication with all participants and members of the team. It is doubtful that they could have accomplished what they did without the years of relationships built up prior to the awarding of this project. - Peterfreund Associates

Pipeline proposal Continue program to June, schools, 200+ students each year Funding –$200,000 Pipeline –$200,000 NSF

Programming clubs Steve Brewer, UMass Biology Dept. Operated similar club in Amherst for 4 years Adapted to various grade levels Advised by computer professionals Use open source (free software) Develop text based virtual worlds 10 clubs, 100 students ~75k per year