rent needs for STEM education. Con- sider, though, the 10 million profession- als currently working in related fields, and Americans have a system-wide solution. “If we can put just 1 percent of them in the classroom, we could more than double the math and science teachers in the country,” advises Man- aging Director John Werner. Citizen Schools recruits corporate


volunteers from the ranks of top tech- nology, architecture, finance and other fields to lead afterschool “apprentice- ships” for disadvantaged kids in public middle schools. Participating states include California, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Massachusetts and Texas. Google has provided some 350


volunteers, plus a recent $3.25 million grant to expand Citizen Schools activi- ties in three state programs. Its employ- ees supply an appealing bridge from academics to up-and-coming careers, teaching kids marketable skills like website design, cell phone marketing and computer programming. Collaborating on real-life problems


in small groups develops more than tangible skills, attests Marianne De- Modena. Her sixth grade son, Christian Deguglielmo, completed apprentice- ships with Google at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and with invest- ment advisors Cambridge Associates, both in Boston. “Christian came home a different


kid,” says DeModena. “It’s brought out his leadership abilities, school pride, social skills and confidence… it’s really opened up this other side of him. He says Citizen Schools is his favorite subject.” The program’s success is more than


anecdotal: A longitudinal study by Policy Studies Associates, Inc. found that kids enrolled in Citizen Schools afterschool programs significantly outperformed a comparison group on a range of indi- cators, including school attendance, pro- ficiency test scores and graduation rate.


Gateway to the Stars Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science, or (MS)², taps into higher institutions of learning as another rich source of STEM prow- ess. Founded in 2005, the Washington, D.C., public charter school is located


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at the university, one of the nation’s preeminent historically black colleges. Every (MS)² classroom includes at least one undergraduate teaching assistant, providing youths with collegiate role models in STEM fields, while giving university students an opportunity to test their teaching skills. The school also partners with


NASA, which pairs its engineers with teachers for professional develop- ment, and sponsors rigorous student workshops in astronautics at its God- dard Space Flight Center, in Greenbelt, Maryland. The collaboration gives stu- dents a scientific leg up while broaden- ing their career possibilities. “Employees within the space


program range from botanists to ballet dancers, all necessary in helping to get astronauts ready for takeoff,” says


Yohance Maqubela, executive director of (MS)². He recognizes that not every student will end up pursuing a career in a STEM field, but that science and technology will permeate whatever discipline they choose. Above all, STEM curricula are


designed to address one of the most fre- quently asked student questions: “Why am I learning this?” By making learning more relevant, these programs are help- ing kids stay motivated, think critically about their surroundings and connect the dots so they see the big picture. It’s a mindset that will serve them well, wherever life leads them.


April Thompson is a freelance writer in Washington, D.C. Connect at AprilWrites.com.


Visit Blue Rock School


Introductory Session and Campus Tour Saturday, March 3, 2012 at 10am


Come meet Blue Rock faculty and hear how our vibrant and creative learning environment nurtures children’s natural curiosity and fosters a lifelong love of learning. A great alternative for Kindergarten through 8th grade.


Please RSVP at 845-627-0234


Celebrating our 25th Year! West Nyack, NY www.bluerockschool.org


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