The 1992 Math and Science Summer Youth Institute

摘要

Funding provided by the NASA Grant enables Navajo Community College to expand its outreach to groups underrepresented in the fields of math and science. A model program was implemented in 1990 to address the underrepresentation of American Indian people in math and science. The model includes the following: for pre-college students early exposure to college work and college life through an intensive summer experience in math and science; for pre-college students close personal contact with Math and Science Summer Youth Institute coordinators and expending throughout the academic year; for parents a summer program orientation session, school visits, and other support services; for counselors school visits, and other support services. NASA funding was used to support and expand the pre-college summer component of the Math and Science Summer Youth Institute Program. The number of participants was decreased from 160 to 30 due to the strong entrance criteria and late advertisement. There is no other financial support from other entities. The summer program provided an opportunity for Native American freshmen high school students to experience college in both an academic and social context and to enhance academic preparation to enter technical fields through related college disciplines. The Math and Science Summer Youth Institute main focus is that of increasing the pool of students interested in math and science. After completion of the academic summer program, students are included in an academic year activity. Progress of students who complete the summer experience is monitored as their education continues through an annual follow-up study.