STEM+SUSTAINABILITY+PROJECT


 * STEM SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT @ WCMS 2013-2014 **

The vision of the STEM (Science Technology Engineering & Mathematics) Career Awareness @ WCMS is to inspire middle school students to reach their potential through involvement in STEM related careers and activities, such as Career Talks, STEM Trivia and STEM Competition throughout the school year. In addition, we would like to have more technology in our classrooms to make our students more engaged in their own learning through the use of the newest technology available and increase and/or sustain their interest in STEM. All students at WCMS will benefit through this project by participating in the aforementioned extracurricular activities and the use of technology through a reservation process with the media center. Based on the activities we had last year, students showed much more interest in STEM careers as noted in the interviews conducted at the end of the school year (STEM ILA TEAM, 2012).
 * I. PURPOSE OF THE ACTIVITIES: **

Students at WCMS will be inspired to consider a future in STEM careers and this will help to motivate them to have more interest in science, math, and technology courses while they are in the middle school.
 * II. EXPECTED OUTCOMES: **

Students will be given a survey at the beginning of the school year to find out their interest in STEM (STEM-CIS, Kier, Blanchard, Osborne, & Albert, in press). The same survey will be given out to the students at the end of the school year to find out if there is a real difference. We are going to use the survey with students using the resource we have with NCSU posted at www.stemcareerwarren.wikispaces. Students also will be asked to name what STEM careers they know of at the end of this survey in an open response item. At the end of the year, students again will be asked to do this to be able to measure gains. Previous research suggests that the STEM activities greatly increased students’ familiarity with possible STEM careers (Kier, 2013). Students in language arts class will do an essay for a graded assignment on what career they may want to do in the fall and in the spring, and we will see what the measures are pre and post. ** IV. ACTIVITIES **
 * III. HOW TO MEASURE THEM: **

Speakers will be given a chance to speak for 15 minutes and the students will ask questions at the end
 * STEM CAREER AWARENESS TALK – October 16, 2013 **
 * Objective: ** To be able to expose students to STEM careers from alumni of the Warren County Schools
 * Mechanics: **
 * Speakers will be former students of WCMS who are now in STEM careers
 * Eight to ten speakers will be invited
 * Students will be divided into two groups, one group will be at the gym and the other group will be at the multi-purpose room
 * GEAR-UP will help in disseminating the information to the parents and hopefully inviting some of the parents to come as speakers
 * Outcome: ** At the end of the activity, students will be able to identify at least 5 STEM careers and their descriptions and be able to consider whether they have interest or skills related to any of them.
 * Evaluation: ** Students will be given a paper survey at the end of the presentations with open-ended questions to answer related to the careers featured in the presentations.
 * Budget: ** ten gifts at $50 each for a total of **$500.00**


 * STEM MONTHLY TRIVIA **
 * Objective: ** To be able to support the campaign of the STEM initiative in the school to instill STEM career awareness to our students
 * Trivia questions will be aired for five days every last week of the month
 * Students will turn in their answers to the media center
 * A student’s name will be drawn and a winner will be declared at the end of each day
 * Announcements of the winners will be done in the morning the day after
 * Gifts will be given as prizes
 * Evaluation: ** Observation and answer submission counts over the year to measure interest.
 * Budget ** : gift for a 5 dollar gift card to Burger King each, five gifts per month in ten months for a total of **$500.00**


 * STEM CLASSROOM DOOR CONTEST (December) **
 * Objective: ** To make students aware that STEM application is found everywhere, especially during the Christmas season.
 * Each class will have a chance to decorate their classroom doors with the theme: **//Christmas with STEM//**
 * Three (3) judges will be invited
 * There will be one winner per grade level
 * The winning class will have a pizza party
 * Evaluation: ** Observation and results of judging
 * Budget: ** pizza party: $125 (3); judges lunch: $25, supplies for each teacher ($25 X 30 teachers) for a total of **$1150.00**


 * STEM POSTER MAKING CONTEST (January) **
 * Objective: ** To be able to support the campaign of the STEM initiative in the school to instill STEM career awareness to our students
 * Students from 6th to 8th grade will be invited to the event
 * There will be a winner from 6th, 7th and 8th grade.
 * The winners will be given gift certificates & medals
 * Evaluation: ** Observation, number of participants and results of judging
 * Budget: ** gift certificates of $20 each, poster boards, markers and medals for a total of **$1000.00**


 * STEM IN THE CLASSROOM **
 * Objective: ** To be able to support the campaign of the STEM initiative in the school to instill STEM career awareness to our students and promote friendly competition
 * Each grading period, students will have a project to make
 * First quarter: Tallest Tower using popsicle sticks and glue guns
 * Second quarter: Pasta Bridge Contest using spaghetti
 * Third quarter: Egg Drop using papers
 * Fourth quarter: Bottle Rockets using soda bottles
 * Evaluation: ** Observation, number of participants and results of judging
 * Budget: ** glue guns, glue sticks, eggs for **$750.00**

9 trophies at $12 each $108 100 pcs participant carded ribbons $40 50 pcs 1st place flat ribbon $15 50 pcs 2nd place flat ribbon $15 50 pcs 3rd place flat ribbon $15 12 add a ribbon w/ atom center a $2.50 each $30 Lunch for judges $300 for a total of **$523.00**
 * SCIENCE FAIR (March 2014) **
 * Objective: ** To be able to support the campaign of the STEM initiative in the school to instill STEM career awareness to our students by encouraging them to become scientists by making a scientific study.
 * All students in the school will have a chance to enter their project for the contest. This will be done individually.
 * Pre-selected projects will be displayed for judging
 * There will be a first, second and third place for each grade
 * Trophies will be awarded to the winners
 * Bring in external judges from the community for PR and to show what the school is doing to the community, and add more role models
 * Evaluation: ** Observation, number of participants and results of judging
 * Budget: **


 * STEM INTERCLASS CONTEST: YEAR-END EVENT (MAY 16, 2014) **
 * Objective: ** To be able to support the campaign of the STEM initiative in the school to instill STEM career awareness to our students and promote friendly competition
 * Each class will have a representative for the events happening simultaneously on this day
 * There will be six events with 24 teams each
 * Each team will be composed of three members
 * There will be a first, second and third placer in each event
 * Medals will be awarded to the winners
 * Evaluation: ** Observation, number of participants and results of judging
 * Budget: ** 54 medals that cost $3.00 each, glue, glue sticks, and five dozen eggs, approximately **$1000.00**

The operational expenses total budget based on the above is **$4423.00**

In cooperation with GEAR-UP
 * COLLEGE CAMPUS TOUR **

OBJECTIVES: 6th grade //February// NCSU $500.00 Ms. Boyd
 * Provide students the opportunity to explore a college campus, as well as become familiar and comfortable with a college campus.
 * Provide hands-on activities and an interactive experience.
 * Introduce adolescents to new things in a safe environment.
 * Encourage students to take four years of STEM courses in college.
 * Acquaint 6th, 7th & 8th grade students with what needs to be done to apply for college.
 * Provide an opportunity for students to equip themselves to be globally competitive and be ready for the 21st Century
 * Introduce students to a college tuition pay schedule and payment options.

7th grade October 29 Duke $500.00 Ms. Aguas

8th grade November 14 ECSU $1000.00 Ms. Aguilar


 * Total budget of $2000.00 **

All of the students can join the campus tour; however, due to the limited number of seats on the buses that we will use on the day of the trip, we are going to have only 100 students per trip. The first 100 students to give us back the reply slip with the parent’s signature will be given the slot. We would use the help of GEAR-UP to maximize the day for the students to have a long-day activity on campus. They will leave the middle school at 7:30 in the morning, tour the campus, have activities, eat on-campus for lunch, have another activity in the afternoon and come back to the middle school before 3:30 if possible.

OUTCOME: As a result, the students can see themselves in college – //the seed is planted;// students are talking about college and college programs when they’re returning home. They will become familiar with the admissions process in college and what is required of them to attend college, and preferably pick a STEM course for college.

EVALUATION: Survey will be conducted to identify whether objectives have been met.


 * TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM **

OBJECTIVE: The vision of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Project is to inspire middle school students to reach their potential in STEM careers through the use of more technology in the classroom. It would be beneficial if we could have at least a class set of chrome books and tablets. We would love to have 1 set per hallway (6th, 7th & 8th) if possible. However, a class set for the whole middle school would be really appreciated.

30 Google Chrome book $279.00 (30) + 564.98 $8934.98 30 Samsung Galaxy Tab $195.00 (30) + 394.88 $6244.88
 * // QTY Equipment Price + Tax Total //**


 * Total of $15,179.86 **

EXPECTED OUTCOME: By using the chrome book and the tablets, students will enhance their knowledge and skills in using different instructional technologies.

EVALUATION: Observation and class projects

** STEM SUSTAINABILITY PROJECT AT WARREN COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL ** ** SY 2013 – 2014 **

OPERATIONAL EXPENSE $4,423.00

COLLEGE CAMPUS TOUR $2000.00

GOOGLE CHROME (30) $8934.98

7” SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB $6244.88


 * TOTAL BUDGET FOR THE YEAR $21,602.86 **

SUBMITTED BY:

THE STEM ILA TEAM Ms. Ligaya Aguas ______ Ms. Cicelia Aguilar______ Ms. Debra Clayton______ Mr. Maurice Crump______ Ms. Deanna Lewis______ Ms. Arnetta Lucas ______ Ms. Earlene Palmer_____ Ms. Gwendolyn White______ Ms. Crystal Boyd______ Mr. Wray Cannaday_____