$255,000 Partnership to Recruit New Math Teachers Begins on June 22

A partnership aimed at building diversity in STEM-related fields will get underway with 44 high-school students on June 22. That’s when the $255,000 Ohio Board of Regents- funded Southwest Center of Excellence STEM Teaching Academy – one of eight OBR-funded partnerships around the state to create STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and foreign language academies – gets underway at Miami University with a week of classes.

“Miami University is particularly pleased to have the STEM Teaching Academy students present on campus at the same time that approximately 150 other students with similar backgrounds will be on campus representing teacher academies in approximately 10 high schools in the southwestern region, and other students who will be attending Miami’s Leadership Program (MLP),” says Iris DeLoach Johnson, Miami University Professor, assistant chair and graduate director for the Teacher Education Department, School of Education, Health, and Society (EHS). “There will be opportunities for these students to interact and grow together as they launch their college experience.”

This summer marks the second year for the partnership, which is working toward recruiting underrepresented students, primarily African-American and urban-Appalachian students, into becoming future math teachers. Students will earn three college credit-hours from a pre-calculus course, receive a top-of-the-line graphing calculator, a free college textbook and will be awarded an $800 stipend upon completion of the program. During their summer stays at Miami and UC, they’ll also spend the week living in the residence halls. Through the summer and fall terms, Internet forums through Blackboard software will help students keep in touch with their peers and their instructors about their coursework. In addition to their educational experience, students will meet with college admissions staff to learn about college entrance requirements and financial aid opportunities.

The partnership is supported by the colleges of Education and Arts and Sciences at both UC and Miami universities, the federally funded GEARUP partnership to help at-risk students prepare for college, and such school districts as Cincinnati Public, Princeton City and Oak Hills. Students will complete the academy in November 2008.

All 44 students (36 high-school seniors and eight high-school juniors) who took part in the first academy launched during summer, 2007 celebrated their completion of the program in a special spring ceremony. In addition to collecting a $1,000 stipend, the students were awarded a total of $158,400 in institutional and private scholarship money from the academy partners, says Shelly Harkness, a program coordinator for the academy and a UC assistant professor of secondary education. Harkness adds that 10 of the students committed to attending UC while two confirmed they’re off to Miami University. Five students who completed the program will serve as mentors for the upcoming academy.

Students taking part in the upcoming Southwest Center of Excellence STEM Teaching Academy will also attend two Saturday sessions at Princeton High School on July 12 and July 26. Their week-long stay on UC’s campus begins on Aug. 3 and will be followed by three more Saturday morning sessions at Princeton High School in September, October and November, to prepare for the SAT and ACT tests and for financial aid planning.

Summer Program Contacts:

Miami University: Iris DeLoach Johnson, professor, assistant chair and graduate director for the teacher education department, School of Education, Health, and Society (EHS), 513-678-6437, e-mail johnsoid@muohio.edu

UC: Shelly Harkness, UC assistant professor of secondary education, College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH), 513-556-3743, e-mail shelly.harkness@uc.edu