The COMETS initiative is a part of Penn State New Kensington's STEM programming. Each month, volunteer mentors develop hands-on-activities to illustrate career opportunities in STEM fields.
Environmental outreach initiative for
fifth- and sixth-grade students
UPPER BURRELL, Pa. -- From designing model wind turbines to exploring the environment using GPS technology, elementary school children developed innovative solutions to local problems that affect their community at Penn State New Kensington’s Green STEM for Kids program.
STEM is the acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, the four core disciplines of a statewide effort to prepare students for global competitiveness through a strategy of enhanced education and career development opportunities. STEM skills are the foundation of the region's workforce and are critical to the development of technological innovations.
Developed by the campus with support from the Alcoa Foundation, Green STEM for Kids is an environmental outreach initiative for fifth- and sixth-grade students. Since January, 29 children were introduced to technological tools and provided hands-on environmental projects that relate to issues found in their schools and communities.
“Students had an opportunity to discuss environmental issues within our community and learn about possible solutions,” said Debbie Novak, STEM and youth coordinator at the campus.
The four-month program culminates at 11 a.m., Saturday, April 18, with a community Earth Day program in the campus Conference Center. The closing event features Carnegie Science Center’s “Eyes on the Environment, ” which includes 10 activity stations for kids and families.
Green STEM comprised five hands-on workshops that gave students the opportunity to grasp environmental issues, meet professionals who work on these issues, and learn about the technology and tools that impact the environment. Topics included energy efficiency, land/environmental hazards, geography connections, water resources, and sustainability. Students explored the environment through a variety of learning techniques – experiments, projects, lessons, outings, resources and education.
“This free community event provided a chance for area families to participate in a fun, informative learning experience,” Novak said. “They can also take away resources that can help them in making smart choices that affect the environment around us.”
In addition to Alcoa, the program partnered with local companies and community organizations, such as Western PA Brownfields Center, Penn State Extension, Alcoa Technical Center, Women for a Healthy Environment, Leaf Redevelopment, LLC, Allegheny County Parks and GeoSolutions.
For more about Green STEM, visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/CE/46087.htm
STEM Programming at Penn State New Kensington
The campus is collaborating with the community on a number of innovative projects to help raise the STEM skill sets of public school students in the local area. The efforts are designed to enhance the region and attract business and innovation so that communities can turn around the economic decline in southwest Pennsylvania that has occurred over four decades.
STEM Academy
The STEM Academy focuses on one-credit courses to introduce high school sophomores and juniors to STEM related fields, and to illustrate the types of skills and preparation needed to engage in those professions. The five courses -- Introduction to Criminology, Introduction to Engineering, Data Visualization, Introduction to Medical Professions and Introduction to Computer Security -- are scheduled from 12:30-4:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday, June 1-4. The cost is $325. For more information, call 724-334-LION or 888-968-PAWS
COMETS
Courses on Math, Engineering, Technology and Science (COMETS) targets seventh- and eighth-grade girls who have an interest in the STEM fields. Volunteer mentors, drawn from Penn State alumna and friends in STEM-related professions, share their experiences on career opportunities in their fields.
“The program combines an online mentoring program with hands-on presentations in a wide range of STEM fields,” Novak said. “The mentors provide new perspectives on their careers, as well as perspectives on other STEM careers for the girls.”
In addition to mentoring and guest speakers, the eight-month program features demonstrations, projects and a monthly “Saturday Brunch” series. At the brunches, women professionals combine overviews of the medical, space/science, computer science, engineering, and environmental fields with hands-on activities.
The Saturday series continues April 25 and May 23. The COMETS program concludes with Recognition Night, 7 p.m., Monday, June 15. For more information, call 724-334-6119.
Kids in College and STEAM
Young students can “steam” into the summer camp season as Kids in College opens its 27th year of operation at the campus. Since 2009, the program has integrated the STEM fields into the traditional summer classes. Last year, Kids in College added a creative arts component, turning STEM into STEAM. A nationwide effort, STEAM prepares middle-school students for a competitive world through a strategy of enhanced education and career development opportunities.
“Creativity is a vital part of education and innovation, and classes in the arts will allow students to express their creativity in a fun environment,” Novak said. “The arts teach students to interpret information, which is a necessary component in problem solving.”
Overall, the Kids in College line-up features 37 camps, as well as an SAT prep course that runs from 9 a.m. to noon, July 14-18. In addition to the STEAM classes, there are classes in basketball, soccer, volleyball, computer programming, cooking, and biodiversity.
The camps, which run from June to July, are arranged by grade levels. There will be nine classes for first graders, 13 classes for second and third graders, and 15 classes for fourth graders. Twenty courses are available for students in grades 5-8.
The perennial favorite is Theatre Camp. It begins a two-week run with auditions on June 16. Director Joe Truesdell will bring an adaptation of “The Little Mermaid” to the Forum Theatre stage. The camp is split into two sections: 9 a.m. to noon (grades 2-5) and 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. (grades 6-11). A grand performance is scheduled for the last day of classes, July 8 for the younger group and July 9 for the older group. The cost is $195.
For more information, call 724-334-6010 or visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/CE/41091.htm
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ABC CREATE
Buoyed by a $300,000 grant from the Grable Foundation, the campus is working in concert with 15 local school districts to share best practices and integrate technology into classrooms to prepare students for future careers.
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The Alle-Kiski Best Practices Collaborative CREATE Lab Satellite Network Regional Hub, better known by its acronym ABC CREATE, is working to identify strengths, resources, and needs related to STEM education within individual districts and the overall collaborative. Under the guidance of an advisory board, the program will help to develop teacher advocates and build an educationally-focused collaborative.
Spearheaded by the New Kensington campus, the program includes Allegheny Valley, Apollo-Ridge, Armstrong, Burrell, Deer Lakes, Freeport, Fox Chapel, Franklin Regional, Highlands, Kiski Area, Leechburg, New Kensington-Arnold, Plum, Riverview and South Butler. When it has its full complement, the collaboration will benefit approximately 40,000 students from kindergarten to grade 12 in the Alle-Kiski Valley.
“Our reputation as a regional leader resulted in our taking leadership in helping to address the STEM needs of school districts,” said Kevin Snider, chancellor of the New Kensington campus. “We currently are leading an effort to develop a regional approach to STEM education across six and ultimately 15 school districts in the AK Valley that shares the best STEM teachers in each grade within the region.”
The first phase of the program began in September with an inaugural meeting of the program’s advisory board. Comprising superintendents from the charter member school districts and representatives from the founding organizations, the board was tasked with guiding the implementation and development of the project. A conference in March brought together teachers from all 15 school districts to learn about ways of using technology in a variety of classes.
“By pulling resources, ideas and partners together with an explicit purpose, they could significantly energize and strengthen the educational growth within this geographically concentrated area,” said Colleen Smith, STEM outreach coordinator for the campus and facilitator of the new initiative.
The pilot program gives ABC CREATE an opportunity to impact students and teachers in this region and to develop a project that other regions will be able to replicate to help strengthen communities across the country.
For more information, contact Smith at 724-334-6138 or cms64@psu.edu
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Chancellor Kevin Snider of Penn State New Kensington addresses guests of
the campus' first "Poverty Summit" on Oct. 14. The chancellor is leading the
battle against poverty in the local communities.
Strategic Plan
STEM is one of the three main ingredients of the campus’ strategic plan that was unveiled in August by Snider. Sustainability and poverty are the other two components.
Funded by an $11,000 grant from the Penn State Sustainability Institute, the campus opened a compost site and installed composting bins in Café 780. The compost site is nourished with pre- and post-consumption food waste from the campus' main eatery. The goal is to turn the campus into a living laboratory and give students the skills they need to become sustainability leaders within the community.
“The need for sustainability has never been greater,” Snider said. “We are poised to do even more during the next five years to help our community.”
In an effort to combat poverty in the Alle-Kiski Valley, Snider created a campus Poverty Committee tasked with collaborating with nonprofit organizations to assist with poverty-related programs.
According to the Westmoreland Community Action website, one-fifth of the residents of New Kensington, Arnold and Lower Burrell, approximately 5,807 people, live in poverty.
“Poverty has emerged as a significant issue across the region as almost 30 percent of citizens in three of our closest municipalities live at or close to poverty levels,” Snider said.
Snider’s plan featured seven paths to the future:
- strengthening educational experiences and enhancing the quality of academic programs;
- transforming education by exploring how technology and pedagogies can expand opportunity and discovery;
- helping to build local communities;
- developing resources to keep higher education accessible;
- becoming the leader in student-centered education;
- advancing an eco-friendly and healthy campus environment;
- embracing diversity and preparing students for a global environment.
For more on the strategic plan, visit http://www.nk.psu.edu/46037.htm