Tuesday, August 7, 2007 - 8:45 AM

SYMP 5-3: Science outreach for students: Initiatives to connect local schools to ecology

Jessica Wheeler1, Margaret Lowman1, Fabiana Silva1, Charissa Jones1, Colleen Mitchell2, and Evan Miller1. (1) New College of Florida, (2) TREE Foundation

New College of Florida has developed a regional outreach and mentoring program appropriately titled SOS (Science Outreach for Students) to link college students with K-12 students. This award-winning outreach program aims to enhance K-12 education and transform the public's awareness and understanding of environmental science and ecology. This goal is achieved by connecting communities and schools to the enthusiasm for and knowledge of science abundantly available in their local universities. Since its inception in 2004, over 4,800 people have received science education through outreach by SOS participants. SOS not only impacts the community, it also changes the outlook of many of its participating science students. Over sixty undergraduate students taught science in K-12 classrooms, and over thirty percent of these students were inspired to consider careers in science education. We present this model as an opportunity for other college campuses to utilize our methodology and replicate this program elsewhere.  We are creating educational units to disseminate to other college campuses, through a web site (www.treefoundation.org) and also through the publication of middle school hands-on science curricula notebooks using activities successfully piloted at local schools. It is our hope that this science education model of youth teaching youth can be replicated on college campuses throughout the country.

See more of SYMP 5 - No child left indoors: Ecologists linking young people with nature
See more of Symposium

See more of The ESA/SER Joint Meeting (August 5 -- August 10, 2007)