Out-of-School In the Outdoors

After a wet and snowy winter, the world is beginning to bloom again (at least in some parts of the country). All of the sprouting trees and flowers inspired me to look in the Directory to see what kinds of opportunities for afterschool science there are in botanical gardens and outdoor schools. 


At the Garden Apprentice Program (GAP) at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, high schoolers have the opportunity to learn about different aspects of horticulture and then participate in an urban agriculture project with their peers. The program is structured so that outstanding participants have the potential to work their way up and eventually become paid Senior Apprentices. This innovative program has been around since 2004 and requires a ten-month commitment with extensive training. See the GAP website for more details as well as some great pictures!


In Mississippi, the Plymouth Bluff Center offers environmental programs in an unaltered outdoor setting that includes a  river, a pond, woodlands, a cypress slough, nature trails, an outdoor teaching facility, and outdoor laboratories. The Bluff is the site of an ancient Cretaceous sea and contains fossil sites used for paleontology and geology labs. Nature trails and abundant wildlife present opportunities for unstructured learning time. There is also an outdoor Math Lab and Environmental Discovery Lab perfect for field trip visits from afterschool programs as well as classrooms! 


And on the west coast, 5th grade students in rural Lassen County in northern California can explore their surrounding environment at 5th Grade Day in the Forest. Hosted by the California Regional Environmental Education Community (CREEC), the event encourages participants to explore a variety of science concepts that correlate to California's science standards. 


Let us know in the comments what you're doing to celebrate science in the outdoors! 

P.S. Read about member activities, upcoming conferences, the Afterschool for All Challenge, and more in the Coalition's March newsletter!

Careers in STEM

NASA recently launched Learning Technologies, a program designed to increase interest in space science through gaming. Learning Technologies just released their first game—Moonbase Alpha, in which a team of players works together to save a Lunar base that has been damaged by a meteor strike.

It may seem strange for a government organization to devote time to creating computer games for children. But Moonbase Alpha is more than just entertainment—it’s a part of a strategy by NASA to increase support for STEM education across the US.

Profiled on the website Ars Technica, the project manager for Learning Technologies, Daniel Laughlin, said that the project was developed as a direct response to the decline in STEM education in the US. Laughlin pointed out that “there are not enough students studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to fill our national needs in those areas” and that “NASA literally cannot function without STEM graduates.” (Read the full article here .)

This got us thinking about what kinds of other opportunities there are for students to engage in STEM education and learn the practical skills necessary to be competitive in the workforce today. A quick search of the Directory brought up several programs designed to prepare students for careers in research, advocacy, and education in a variety of STEM fields. Below are some standouts:

• Bright Students Training as Research Scientists (Bright STaRS) at the American Geophysical Union. At this conference, high school students have the opportunity to present original research and learn more about how to become professionals in the geosciences.

• Discover the Possibilities at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE). This weeklong program exposes potential engineering students to all of the different opportunities in the field, giving them the tools to pursue their ideal engineering career.

• Student Science Training Program (SSTP) at the Center for Precollegiate Education and Training. This prestigious research seminar teaches students the practical skills needed to conduct science research and to attain a career in science.

• Pasadena Technology Camp at the CA Space Education and Workforce Institute. This weekend program provides computer literacy training to disadvantaged student populations, teaching them an essential skill needed in the workforce today.

• Leadership Intern Field Training (LIFT) at Sustainable South Bronx. This internship gives high school students hands-on organizing experience in the growing field of environmental justice and gain advocacy skills that are applicable to many STEM fields

Do you know of a program that provides practical STEM career skills to high school students or young adults? Join the Coalition and add your opportunity to the Directory.

Youth Involved in New Dinosaur Discovery

You may see a news story in the next few days about a newly discovered dinosaur species. You may be interested to know that a group of Chicago-area high school students were a part of this discovery. The students, as well as three teachers, were part of every aspect of the research that led up to the press announcement. They participated in science fieldwork during the summer, toured the fossil lab where the new species was reconstructed, completed a day of training by lead scientists, and studied scientific reports and media alerts before they were released to the public and press.

Their participation was part of Project Exploration, a Chicago nonprofit science education organization (and CSAS member). Paleontologist Paul Sereno (who led the new discovery) and his wife, educator Gabrielle Lyon, founded the organization in 1999.

The experiences of the students and teachers are available at the Project Exploration website.