Community Applying Systemic STEM Education to Schools Initiative

A USC Good Neighbors Campaign grant is funding the Community Applying Systemic STEM Education to Schools (Community ASSETS or C-ASSETS) Initiative–a joint effort between the USC Young Scientists Program  (YSP), an outreach program within USC Dornsife’s Joint Educational Project, and USC Mission Science, an outreach program in USC Viterbi’s STEM Educational Outreach Programs (STEM-EOP).

While STEM-EOP and JEP have long shared ideas and assisted one other in achieving their individual missions, this is the first formal partnership between the outreach groups of two USC schools. C-ASSETS builds off the long-running successes of the Young Scientists Program (YSP) and Mission Science (MS). Both programs send USC undergraduates to neighborhood elementary schools to lead hands-on, authentic science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) lessons. C-ASSETS addresses two related needs for contributing to the pipeline of underrepresented and disadvantaged students who pursue degrees and careers in STEM: addressing barriers of minority and female participation and supporting the upcoming full adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in all California schools. C-ASSETS also fills an important need to bridge the formal and informal STEM learning experiences of students.

Thanks to the funding provided by the USC Good Neighbors Campaign (GNC), YSP will be able to expand to John W. Mack Elementary, the seventh school in the YSP family.  The expansion allows YSP to bring inquiry-based NGSS-aligned hands-on STEM instruction to over 200 additional elementary students and to train three brand-new pre-service STEM educators, two of whom are from the University Park Neighborhood and attended schools served by YSP! Two of these new YSP TA’s shared their thoughts on what it means to be working with YSP:

“The Young Scientist Program improves science courses in schools by giving the children inspiration to find their passions but also shows them that college is attainable. Coming from the same neighborhood as many of the schools that YSP teaches in I know several of the factors that affect the students academically. This consistent help will impact the lives of children as it did for me.”  -Jasmin Sanchez

“Growing up in south central LA X and having attended Vermont Avenue Elementary myself, I am humble with the opportunity to work at Vermont Ave. as a TA for YSP. I sat in the exact same seats as most of the students I teach, and it is a privilege that I get to serve as a example for what they can achieve in the near future. Just a couple weeks ago, having shared my story with the students and teachers, they were amazed to know that we both shared a similar background. Most of these students grow up without an immediate role model who has actually gone out to attend college, which may discourage a few or lead others to be the first in their family to attend college.” -MaryAnn Cabrales

In addition to the expansion GNC funding will also provide 10 STEM-related professional development sessions for all of the schools under the C-ASSETS umbrella (32nd St School, Foshay Learning Center, Norwood Street Elementary, Vermont Avenue Elementary, John Mack Elementary, Dr. Theodore T. Alexander Science Center School, Weemes Elementary, and three schools in USC’s Health Science Campus community).These professional development sessions are focused on preparing educators for the adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards in the upcoming school year.

We are so grateful for the support of the USC GNC, and look forward to working with them and USC Mission Science to make the C-ASSETS Initiative successful for our community!