NJSACC Joins National Initiative On Great Science For Girls
NJSACC was selected to join Great Science for Girls – a five-year National Science Foundation initiative to build the capacity of after-school educators to deliver programming that will broaden and sustain girls’ interest and persistence in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Through Great Science for Girls, NJSACC will provide support to afterschool centers throughout New Jersey to provide learning environments with the three ingredients necessary for student success in STEM: engagement, capacity and continuity. Programs and activities will offer girls opportunities for leadership, active engagement with concerned adults, and inquiry based experimentation.
"The afterschool hours are our best opportunity to expand learning. Great Science for Girls will enable New Jersey afterschool programs to maximize this opportunity," says NJSACC executive director Diane Genco.
Great Science for Girls stresses the use of inquiry-based science curricula that are hands-on and fun. NJSACC will have a major role in the implementation of Great Science for Girls and bringing evidence-based programming to the after school community. This is a boon for science education in New Jersey at a time when school districts are struggling to provide quality education programs while facing severe funding cuts. Afterschool programs are typically less expensive than public school programs.
The national lead organization for Great Science for Girls is the Educational Equity Center at the Academy for Educational Development (EEC/AED), which is nationally known for its work in creating programs to bring underrepresented students into the science pipeline. Two AED centers with extensive experience in youth development, the Center for School and Communities Services and the Center for Youth Development and Policy Research, are collaborating with EEC/AED in this endeavor.
