Academy awards $215,000 to local education organizations

  • Published
  • By Julie Imada
  • Academy Research publicist
The U.S. Air Force Academy Research Office and Chief Scientist Col. Rob Fredell have announced the first recipients of a regional grant award for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education.

The Colorado Consortium for Earth and Space Science Education was awarded $215,000 towards supporting regional STEM education efforts for students in grades kindergarten through 12 as well as providing professional development opportunities to local educators.

This initial $215,000 grant was provided by the Office of the Secretary of Defense through its National Defense Education Program, which invests in science, engineering and math education from middle and high school through college and post graduation. NDEP's mission is to support a new generation of scientists and engineers who will apply their talents in our nation's defense laboratories and contractors who support the national defense.

The primary program to benefit from this grant will be the Challenger Learning Center of Colorado, housed at Challenger Middle School in Academy School District 20, and offers hands-on, space-based simulation missions. This grant will support professional development opportunities for educators as well as classroom lessons at low-income schools in El Paso and Teller counties who would not otherwise be able to attend this program.

Several "Project Lead the Way" classes and camps in Academy School District 20 and Colorado School District 11 will also benefit from this grant. The "Project Lead the Way" curriculum encourages more students to pursue careers as scientists and engineers through projects and lab work. This grant will help to provide more camps and classes regionally.

The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs will also be involved in a variety of support services for this effort, including assessment, assistance with teacher training, and credits for educator professional development.

Cool Science is a Colorado Springs-based hands-on science program offering inquiry-based activities to local elementary and middle-school students. A portion of this grant will help Cool Science continue to offer a variety of different hands-on experiences for local school programs. The Academy provides access to their laboratories and classrooms in support of Cool Science.

"The Academy takes pretty seriously our role in facilitating STEM education at the K-12 level across the Pikes Peak region," Colonel Fredell said. "We look forward to partnering with CCESSE in this endeavor."

The United States currently trails behind several countries when it comes to STEM education. While 90 percent of eighth grade science teachers in East Asia have science degrees, only 58 percent of U.S. science teachers have science degrees.

Today, things are changing, and STEM is becoming a priority. In Southern Colorado alone, 600 math and science teachers will attend STEM workshops, and more than 1,100 middle school students will attend programs such as Science Challenge and STEM Summer Academy -- along with many new volunteer faculty programs -- all in an effort to raise awareness.

Projects like those at the Challenger Center are under way to "kindle the fire" for science among tomorrow's leaders, scientists, and educators.

"This grant will help to make great strides in science education in Southern Colorado. By encouraging proven educational organizations to work together, the big winners will be the students," said CCESSE board member Vivian Teets.

Together, the Academy, CCESSE, the Challenger Learning Center of Colorado, "Project Lead the Way" and "Cool Science" hope to show the strength of a coordinated team effort to help enhance regional student interest in STEM subjects and career fields.