HR: 14:10h
AN: ED43C-03    [Abstracts]
TI: The Colorado MESA Program and CU-LASP: A Model for After School Program/Research Institution Collaboratives
AU: * Nelson, G
EM: gnelson@carbon.cudenver.edu
AF: Colorado MESA Program, University of Colorado at Denver, Campus Box 104,, Denver, CO 80217 United States
AU: CoBabe-Ammann, E
EM: ecobabe@lasp.colorado.edu
AF: Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado 1234 Innovation Drive, Boulder, CO 80303 United States
AB: Colorado MESA is an after school program operating throughout the state with a long track record in promoting science, math and engineering education to largely underserved K-12 student populations. Currently, 81 percent of MESA students are from groups underrepresented in the math/science careers, and 85 percent of MESA students come from low- and moderate-income families. Through a combination of weekly student programs, field trips to universities and industry partners, family orientations, individual academic counseling and required curriculum, Colorado MESA offers an opportunity for students to explore STEM subjects and careers that they might not otherwise have access to - with tangible results. In the Colorado MESA Class of 2003, 97 percent of students planned on entering college this fall, with 86 percent indicating that they will enroll in math/science-based majors. In the last year, the University of Colorado's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, a large space and earth sciences institute, has relied on the Colorado MESA program as its primary K-12 partner in Education and Public Outreach. LASP incorporates MESA into its proposal writing opportunities, from E/PO additions to individual research proposals to mission-level educational programs. In addition to funding opportunities, LASP provides scientists and engineers in a variety of contexts and content areas, while MESA works to incorporate those resources into their after school programs. The interface between the after school programs and the research institution requires ongoing communication and coordination in order to evaluate and fine-tune curriculum and activities based on feedback from MESA advisors and teachers. Currently, the MESA/LASP partnership has funded programs in astrobiology, planetary sciences and engineering.
DE: 0805 Elementary and secondary education
DE: 0825 Teaching methods
SC: Education and Human Resourcese [ED]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting