K-12 Education and Outreach
TeenSHARP high school student research experience (HighRise)
One or our main partners in the K-12 space is TeenSHARP (Successful, High-Achieving, and Reaching Potential), which gives Black, Latinx, and low-income youth access to leadership opportunities, trains them to be ambassadors of higher education in their communities, and prepares them for success at selective colleges and universities.
TeenSHARP facilitates enhanced preparation of underrepresented high school students for the undergraduate experience, increased confidence in the pursuit of undergraduate education, increased familiarity with undergraduate institutions and the ‘unwritten rules,’ and increased numbers of underrepresented students who effectively pursue undergraduate STEM education.
Through the HighRise program, TeenSHARP students will be placed in lab groups that match their interests for an 8-week research experience. The program is rounded out with professional development workshops, symposia, and graduate student mentorship to give our TeenSHARP participants a real snapshot of life on campus.
Through our TeenSHARP partnership, the HighRise program will provide sustained and diverse research experiences for underrepresented high school students and inform MRSEC educators about essential pre-college preparatory skills.
DE Elementary Science Olympiad
Our work with elementary school classrooms in the State of Delaware is motivated by the low STEM AP pass rates among Black and Latinx students. We understand the importance of reaching students at an early age to spark their interest and skills in science and technology, and to level the playing field for schools with high percentages of URG students from low-income families.
To do this, we’ve teamed up with the Delaware Elementary Science Olympiad to provide physics, chemistry and biology test kits for several classrooms in rural and intercity schools that are otherwise unable to participate due to the cost. In addition to the kits, we’re connecting teachers with several MRSEC-funded graduate students trained in elementary outreach to provide mentorship to the students using the kits. A pilot of this program has already received promising feedback.
