COMMUNIQUE ` - The University of Akron
COMMUNIQUE ` - The University of Akron
COMMUNIQUE ` - The University of Akron
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COLLEGE OF EDUCATION<br />
College<br />
<strong>COMMUNIQUE</strong><br />
`<br />
November 2010<br />
Departmental Highlights<br />
NIHF STEM Learners Reach Out to El Salvadorian Students<br />
FACULTY<br />
<strong>The</strong> partnership with <strong>The</strong> <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Akron</strong> and the National<br />
Inventors Hall <strong>of</strong> Fame School®…Center for STEM Learning<br />
continues to have far reaching benefits, this time around the globe.<br />
Denise Stuart, associate pr<strong>of</strong>essor (CIS), visited the school to share<br />
her work teaching English and literacy in Agua Caliente, El Salvador.<br />
STEM students compared their lives and schooling to that <strong>of</strong> the<br />
students in El Salvador, finding both similarities and differences. Two<br />
middle school advisory groups developed service learning projects<br />
to support the education <strong>of</strong> the young students at the San Jose<br />
School, located in a region challenged by poverty and limited resources. This was the<br />
first year <strong>of</strong> the NIHF STEM school, grades 5-6, and the first year <strong>of</strong> the San Jose<br />
school, grades 1-3.<br />
Coach Amanda Boyd (UA alumna) led the “<strong>The</strong> Bling Boyds” advisory group <strong>of</strong> fifth<br />
graders in raising funds for the San Jose school. <strong>The</strong>y spent many hours handcrafting<br />
journals, bookmarks and “stem” pens. <strong>The</strong>y also planned, organized and implemented<br />
a not-for-pr<strong>of</strong>it business model and earned $285 to benefit the students at San Jose.<br />
Another advisory group <strong>of</strong> sixth graders, “<strong>The</strong> Brainstormers,” led by Coach Donna<br />
Wojcik decorated flip-flop sandals with inspirational messages as their service learning<br />
project. <strong>The</strong>se communications are in English<br />
so the students at San Jose will have an<br />
opportunity to not only practice their<br />
emergent reading but to learn English which<br />
is a curricular goal <strong>of</strong> the San Jose school. <strong>The</strong><br />
community will benefit broadly with the inspirational<br />
work <strong>of</strong> this service learning project<br />
titled “Soothing Soles: Messages <strong>of</strong> Hope.”<br />
Stuart will return to Agua Caliente, El<br />
Salvador, in January 2011 to implement a<br />
student-centered curriculum that focuses on principles <strong>of</strong> democracy and learning<br />
about the current elected President Mauricio Funes, a popular leader, who has<br />
expressed a commitment to building educational opportunities for the<br />
citizens <strong>of</strong> El Salvador.<br />
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