| Girls Get IT! Newsletter |
Volume II Issue
I
August 2007 |
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Welcome Back Teachers and
Students!!! | |
| Explore ~
Educate ~
Empower |
Florida Girls Collaborative
Update
On August
1st, a group of over 25 informal learning educators,
gender equity experts, science and mathematics education
representatives, educational policy experts, and private industry
partners joined together to form a Board of Champions to support
Florida's new Girls Collaborative Project. The Board of Champions
for STEM education in Florida showed they are up to the task,
already planning their first face-to-face meeting in Tampa, Florida
in early November. This Board
was developed as part of the larger national effort for gender
equity in STEM. The new Board members were very excited
about the National Girls Collaborative Project model and the
opportunity to connect girl-serving organizations across the state
through the on-line Program Directory and desiminate mini-grant
funding to organizations to foster postitive collaboration
opportunities.
The Florida Girls
Collaborative start up team is made up of 4 regional partners. They include the Suncoast
Girl Scout Council (representing 8 counties in Florida) Florida
Community College of Jacksonville, and the American Association of
University Women (AAUW) -one of the nation's leading voices
promoting education and equity for women and girls. The
initiative is coordinated by Girls Get IT!, the
overarching gender equity program for middle and high school
girls across Florida in STEM.
"Each member of the core team brings unique talents,
dedication and vision to the initiative and has the opportunity to
touch thousands of girls' lives through this exciting new
collaboration" stated Leah Cook, Statewide Project
Director.
The Board of Champions Meeting and Kick Off
Conference is currently being planned for Friday, November
9th, in Tampa, Florida. More information will be
forthcoming about the location. For additional
updates on the initiative Click Here!
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New Funding from the Federal Government for
STEM |
President Bush Signs the COMPETES
Act
On
August 9, 2007 President Bush signed into law a bill that will
promote successful classroom practices through federal grants and
strengthen education in science and mathematics through improved
teacher recruitment and training.
The law is based on recommendations of the
National Academies' 2005 report, "Rising Above the Gathering
Storm". It
has been dubbed the COMPETES Act because it was designed to
strengthen the quality of the U.S. workforce and protect the
American economy against foreign competition.
The COMPETES Act authorizes $33.6 billion over fiscal
years 2008-2010 for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)
education programs across the federal government. One such program headed by
the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) is "Math Now". This
program will have the National Academy of Sciences and the
Secretary of the U.S. DOE form a national panel to identify
promising practices in the teaching of STEM in secondary and
elementary schools.
Other programs funded by the law include two new
competitive grant programs within the U.S. DOE. The first is
authorized for $125 million in 2008 and is aimed at expanding
master's degrees in science and math related fields. The other,
authorized for $151 million in 2008, will support programs
that encourage undergraduates to obtain bachelor's
degrees in science and math related fields and foreign languages
while they are gaining teacher certification.
The law will also expand the Robert
Noyce Scholarship Program, which provides grants of $10,000 a year
to college students majoring in math and science related subjects
who agree to teach in high-need schools after graduation. Funding
will now be awarded for three years instead of the current limit of
two, which will allow recipients more time to complete their teacher
training.
The House, the Senate, and President Bush were all in
accord with this legislation and were supported widely by business
leaders.
John J. Castellani, the president of the Business
Roundtable praised the congressional action saying, "if we are to
maintain our competitive edge, we must improve the education our
students receive in science, technology, engineering and
mathematics. America's ability to compete in a
21st-century economy rests on our continued investments
in math and science education."
For more information, please click here: Click
Here! |
Florida High School/High
Tech Reaches Out to Students!
The Florida High School/High Tech (HS/HT)
Program is designed to  provide high school students with
disabilities the opportunity to explore jobs or postsecondary
education leading to technology-related careers.
The HS/HT program was created as a means of
improving postsecondary outcomes for transition-age youth with
disabilities. In 2007, the program provided services to 1,145 high
school students with disabilities in 123 high schools and 31
counties. Over 40% of
enrolled students are girls pursuing
technology related careers.
The program uses a variety of activities and
innovative approaches to expose students to careers in science,
technology, engineering, and math (referred to as the STEM careers)
and other technology-based professions. Among other strategies, the
program achieves its objectives by maintaining high expectations,
exposing youth to high-growth industries, facilitating youth
development and leadership, and encouraging the involvement of
family members and caring adults. At the conclusion of the 2006-2007
school year, 95% of graduating seniors continued their education,
entered post secondary education or entered
employment.
The Florida HS/HT Program
incorporates a variety of activities addressing the full range of
needs identified in the Guideposts for Success, a
framework that the National Collaborative on Workforce and
Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth) produced, with funds from the U.S.
Department of Labor. This report came from examining
nearly three decades of research, demonstrations, and promising
practices, including the experiences of HS/HT programs. To read
more, please visit Click Here!
HS/HT
is an initiative of the US Department of Labor Office of Disability
Employment Policy (ODEP). In Florida, it is a program of The Able
Trust, also known as the Florida Governor's Alliance for the
Employment of Citizens with Disabilities. It is funded in part by
the Florida Department of Education Division of Vocational
Rehabilitation.
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To
visit GGIT! please click
here | |
 If you would
like to forward this newsletter
to a friend, Click
Here! |
Point,
Click, Teach! With PBS
Teachers.org
PBS
Teachers.org makes teaching as  simple as a click of a button with
their extensive website featuring high-quality educational
resources.
The site has mapped out
simple ways for teachers to bring the most educational material to
their students through lesson plans, teaching activities, video
assets, and interactive games that are available for every subject
grades K-12. The website can also be used as a gateway for local
resources and services offered by your local PBS station, as well as
their national on-air programming to correlate with your specific
lesson planning needs.
In addition to the plethora of
resources for teachers on Teachers.org there is the PBS Kids site.
This site offers games and activities that are sure to keep kids
entertained, all while being educational and enriching at the same
time!
Teachers, Students, and Parents - come check out
everything that PBS has to offer Click
Here!
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Cisco Offers an Internship Program to
Students
The Cisco Networking Academy students at Miami-Dade
County Public Schools are offered an opportunity to participate in
an Internship program that allows the students to showcase their
technical aptitude. This internship program was developed by the
staff of the Infrastructure and Systems Support department in
conjunction with the Cisco Networking Academy from Miami Lakes
Educational Center. The Cisco Academy Apprentice Program (C.A.A.P.)
Internship has concluded after 6 ½ weeks with a culminating
Presentation program which was held at the SBAB Auditorium on July
23, 2007.
Twenty-eight students participated from Miami Central,
Miami Lakes Ed. Center, N.M.B., American, Miami Palmetto Sr., John
A. Ferguson Sr. High Schools and Miramar High. Under the direction
of Davion Q. Crumel (CAAP Supervisor) and Marlon Vernon (CAAP
Instructor) these student interns engaged in employability and
technical curriculum, hands-on experiential learning, and a
team-based project and presentation. During their final
presentations of the New School Site Infrastructure (NSSI) Project,
staff was on hand to capture the moment which will be reproduced on
DVD. Mr. Freddie Woodson, Associate Superintendent - School
Operations, stopped by to address the student interns on behalf of
Dr. Rudy Crew.
All five teams of CAAP Interns are to be commended for
their hard work and dedication in completing their projects,
however, there can only be one winning team. The team that won this
year created a prototype school site called Okeechobee Sr. High and
their members included Daniel Saleh (Team Leader), Jennifer
Arbelaez, Edgardo Agosto, Carlos Gomez, Nelson Pradera, and
Rigoberto Santos. They were awarded gift cards from the Cheese Cake
Factory, Starbucks, and American Express. Additionally, Dr. Sylvia
Diaz and Linda Trupia were on hand to present one raffle winning
Intern a brand new laptop. That winner was Allen Feliz from Miami
Central Sr. Out of the 28 Interns that participated this summer, 7
are 2007 graduates who are scheduled to interview for part-time
positions with the district. Many of the 21 remaining students
expressed interests in returning to CAAP in 2008.
A
special Thank You goes out to our W.R. Thomas Middle School family
that housed the internship program. For every individual that
contributed to the success of the CAAP Internship Program by
thought, word, or deed, a debt of gratitude is owed. It STILL takes
a village...
For more information about this program visit Click
Here! | |
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Florida STEM Program Directory- Register
your Program
Today!
The
online Florida STEM Program Directory lists organizations and
programs that focus on motivating girls to pursue education and
careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
(STEM). The
purpose of the directory is to help organizations and individuals
network, share resources and collaborate on STEM-related projects
for girls.
Organizations that serve young women and are
interested in bringing more STEM resources to them also encouraged
to sign up!
The
Directory contains program descriptions, resources available within
each organization, program and/or organization needs, and contact
information. What
better way to promote your program, resources and find other
organizations in your area to collaborate with?
Having Your Program Listed in the Directory Has
Several Advantages:
- Anyone with internet access can
find out about your program.
- You can view other programs in your
area and across the state.
- Your organization can do a search
and compare needs and resources in your area and across the state.
- Your organization is eligible for a
mini-grant for innovative projects.
Don't wait - Sign up
today!
Here's How:
Use the following instructions to create a new user
account and then enter a program's information into the NGCP
program directory.
- Click
Here!!
- Click "Register New User"
which is located on the far left.
- Fill out the form and click "Submit"
- On the next page, click "New Program"
- Fill out the form and click "Submit"
That's it! Your program will
be listed and can be searched by anyone with access to the internet.
It's that
easy!
Once a new program's information has been submitted
and approved, it will appear in the public
Directory for anyone to search.
What better way to highlight the great work in
STEM that you are doing in your
community!
Note: In order to be eligible for mini grant funding, your
program MUST be listed in the Program Directory. Once listed, you are
encouraged to submit a proposal for consideration of funding. For mini grant submission
guidelines, Click
Here! |
Check It Out - There Are Many
Grants for Teachers and Non Profit
Organizations!!
In a number of our conversations with teachers
and other non profit organizations, we have learned that many lack
the necessary funds to incorporate more innovative teaching
strategies in the classroom or their program.
There are many grants available that will help non
profits, teachers and schools get the training, books, computers,
software, and other supplies that they need to improve their student
achievement in reading, math, and all other subjects. These funds are available
through many different organizations including, the state and
federal government, parent associations, foundations and
more.
Girls Get IT! has compiled several sites below that
have information for these types of opportunities across the
country.
A fantastic resource for
teachers, which is supported by First Lady, Laura Bush, is Teachers Count. This website offers a wealth
of support for teachers, from lesson plans to stories from award
winning teachers. Click Here!
Grants Alert offers a database of grant providers where the
user can select specific criteria and be linked with the appropriate
funders. Click Here!
The US
Department of Education's website also has funding
information. This year
alone the US DOE will give nearly $37 billion to states and school
districts to improve K-12 schools and meet the special needs of
students. Also close to $2.4 billion will be given to help
strengthen teaching and learning in colleges and other postsecondary
institutions. Click
Here! | |
What is
Girls Get IT?
Florida Girls Get IT is a partnership
between Florida Distance Learning Consortium, Cisco Systems,
Inc., Florida's Community College and University system to
create gender equity in the areas of Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) & Information Technology
(IT).
Why does Florida need this
initiative?
To remain competitive,
Florida must offer a highly trained workforce. Nearly 75% of future
jobs in the United States will require the use of technology, yet
fewer than 33% of students in computer courses are female and women
comprise only 20% of IT professionals and 13% of
engineers.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Contact: Leah Cook,
Project Director
Phone:
850.922.3359
Fax: 850.922.3109
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Useful Links for Teachers,
Parents and Students
Teachers:
Teacher Magazine
A website especially for teachers! A place to
interact with fellow educators, post blogs, and read articles that
may enhance your educational ability.To
check it out,Click Here!
Tools For Understanding
This site is intended for educators who teach
mathematics and are interested in integrating common technologies
into their daily instruction. Our target audience includes
intermediate and middle-grade teachers and secondary special
educators. While much of this site focuses on mathematics, there are
a number of lessons and activities that are intended to blend
mathematics with writing and make use of mathematical reasoning in
other content areas such as social studies. Click
Here!
Parents:
Family
Education
This website can help parents with their children no matter
what age they are! It offers guidance for parents dealing with
anything from infants to teenagers. There are also message boards
that connect parents with one another to discuss any issues they may
be dealing with. Click
Here!
Family Corner
Get good,
solid advice on everything from teething, fitness, teenagers, home
decorating, and harvesting your herb garden. This website offers
ideas for any kind of problem or event that may be going on in your
household. Click
Here!
Students:
Braincake
Contains a "we hear that" and a "girl to girl" section where
girls tell their stories and write down their thoughts on topics
twice a month. Also
includes a "she's living it" section where women act as mentors to
younger girls. Click
Here!
Astro-venture
Astro-Venture is an educational, interactive, multimedia Web
environment highlighting NASA careers and research in the areas of
Astronomy, Geology, Biology, and Atmospheric Sciences. Students in
grades 5-8 are transported to the future where they role play NASA
occupations, as they search for and build a planet with the
necessary characteristics for human habitation. Click
Here! |
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