The New York Academy of Sciences has developed the Afterschool STEM Mentoring Program, matching afterschool program providers in New York City and Newark with graduate student members of the Academy’s Science Alliance – a program that provides support and career mentoring to 8,000 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in STEM disciplines.
As of Spring 2012, the Afterschool Program has sites in New York City and Newark, NJ. The New York City program partners with the Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) through its Beacon, OST, and Cornerstone Partners. DYCD is a founding partner of the program. In Newark, mentors will be placed with extended day programs at Citizen School sites.
Academy staff members and curriculum partners collaborate to train graduate students in STEM-related curricula and place these students in afterschool programs as instructors and mentors, seeking to both solidify foundational science education and foster better communication of science by young researchers.
Aiming to address the lagging science achievement of New York City- area students, the Afterschool STEM Mentoring Program has the distinct ability to inspire high-need K-12 students with an infusion of energy, enthusiasm, and expertise. Mentors have the invaluable opportunity to work outside university walls and impart their knowledge to the students who need it most. The afterschool students, who predominately come from underserved communities, not only receive exposure to new and engaging curricula, but also learn from young scientists, who, while working to inspire a new generation of scientific innovators, also serve as positive role models and mentors.
How it Works
We invite graduate student and postdoc members of the Academy’s Science Alliance to apply for the NYAS Science Education Fellows Program. Selected Science Alliance members participate in pedagogical workshops which train to teach innovative curricula modules developed by esteemed institutions, such as FIRST, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, NYU and Cornell University.
Here’s a short video that helps explain the program.
Graduate student and postdoc mentors will have the opportunity to choose one of six curriculum modules, including Robotics, Genetics, Earth Science, Ornithology and Biodiversity, Math and Space Science, then teach these curricula and serve as mentors to students in afterschool programs. Networking events are held each semester so that Science Alliance members can connect with each other and report on the challenges and successes they have encountered in the classroom.
In Summer 2011, we launched our new math curriculum, designed by Dr. Mark Saul the Director of the Center for Mathematical Talent at NYU’s Courant School of Mathematical Sciences. The curriculum focuses on developing math skills and a love of math through games.
Participating Afterschool Sites
The Afterschool program is now located in two cities: New York and Newark, NJ.
In New York, the Afterschool STEM Mentoring Program places graduate student and postdoc mentors in DYCD afterschool programs throughout the five boroughs of New York City. The DYCD determined the areas with the greatest need for afterschool services by targeting 77 zip codes according to six demographic variables: youth population; youth poverty rate; rate of youth ages 16-19 years who are not in school, not high school graduates, and not in the labor force; number of English Language Learners (ELL) students in public school; number of single parent families with related children under 18 years of age; and number of children eligible for New York State subsidized childcare. More than 60% of all DYCD programs are located in these areas, and are provided at no cost to participants. By partnering with DYCD, the Academy is able to reach students across the city who are in the greatest need of both receiving extra support in STEM education and engaging with mentors who serve as positive role models.
Our Newark Sites, launched in Fall 2011, is facilitated by Citizen Schools, who run extended learning day programs in three Newark schools.
Progress to Date
As of February 1, 2012, we have placed 320 mentors in over 90 afterschool programs in New York City and New Jersey and draw mentors from 20 New York City area universities and academic medical centers.
On December 10, 2011 the Academy announced a partnership with the Girl Scouts of the USA to scale up the program through their Council system.
As of September 1, 2012 the Academy was awarded a nearly $3 million NSF Informal Science Education grant in collaboration with SUNY Central and SUNY Empire State College. The grant will bring the Afterschool STEM Mentoring Program to two new SUNY campuses in Albany and Utica, New York beginning in the spring of 2013. During the grant’s three year duration, an RFP process will open three additional upstate New York campuses to the Mentoring program, effectively scaling the Academy’s model throughout Upstate New York.
For more information and to pose any questions, please email program manager Kris Breton at kbreton [at] nyas [dot] org.
The Spring 2013 application for Newark and New York City will be open from November 1, 2012, through December 1, 2012.
Interested applicants can email swortel [at] nyas.org for more information.
