About Us

Connect Online

Website: http://tiny.cc/i3stem

Twitter: @mnps_i3STEM

Instagram: @i3Stem

Facebook: @MNPSi3Stem

Contact Us:

Deanna Privette deanna.privette@mnps.org

Jeannie Whitlock jeannie.whitlock@mnps.org

Description of Project

G2ROW STEM is geared to grow student achievement particularly in science and math, heighten STEM aspirations, and close opportunity gaps in STEM education by implementing mentorships and STEM extended learning strategies for underrepresented middle school students.

The major pieces of the project include:

• Afterschool Sessions - 2 days a week, 2 hours a day, 2 teachers per site, 30 students maximum, hosted at the middle school
• Saturday Sessions - 1 day a month, 5 hours, 1 teacher/15 students from each school, hosted at cluster high schools to bring middle school students together in a high school setting
• STEM Summer Camp - 2 weeks, 5 hours a day, 1 teacher/15 students from each school, hosted at the cluster high schools to bring middle school students together in a high school setting
• Mentors - high school students in STEM academies, college students in STEM-related studies, and industry professionals in STEM fields
• Field Trips and Guest Speakers - STEM industry partners serve as guest speakers as well as offer field trip opportunities relevant to STEM

Description of Evaluation

Our external evaluator, The Evaluation Group (TEG), collects a spring survey from students, as well as a survey at the end of the summer camp activities. Our external evaluator presented the summary of data from the student and teacher surveys, and the after-school, Saturday, and summer camp attendance records to our teachers during a half-day training. Our school staff is instrumental in working with the evaluator to document the successes of each school. Our program continues to grow and reach incoming fifth graders as well as 6th-8th students that joined at the start of theschool year. Feedback from the student surveys indicates excitement and engagement with the activities and field trips. Students gained awareness of careers associated with the STEM activities, visited a college campus and STEM businesses. Teachers have used the after-school Engineering Everywhere (EE) curriculum in their classrooms, so the entire class benefits from the additional applications within the science curriculum.