4-H SYSTEMATICS A PRE-COLLEGE PROGRAM FOCUSING ON SCIENCE,
TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS
MAJORS
SUSAN ADAMS
ELOISA GOMEZ
MICHELLE GONZALEZ
EVA TERRY
MARY THIRY
JENNI VAUGHN
HOLLY WEHRHAHN
A PROGRAM CONDUCTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Primary funder: Vice-Chancellor’s Office
Innovative Program Fund
College preparation program targeting middle
school youth in 7th and 8th grade.
Increased of 29 to 86 (296% increase) students in
2 years between 2010-2012.
PARTICIPANT DEMOGRAPHICS FOR 2012
Gender: 50 female and 36 male
Ethnicity: 70% Latino or Hispanic Youth
Race: 20% Caucasian
4% More than one race
3% Middle Eastern
2% African American
1% Asian
o Grade Levels 2012 N = 86
3% - 6th Grade
55% - 7th Grade
42% - 8th Grade
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Focus on preparing low income, Hispanic youth
for studying STEM majors in college
Target City of Milwaukee Zip Codes:
53207 (2011) and 53204 and 53215 (2012)
Community partners in targeted areas involved-
Charter Schools
Child Development Centers
Religious Schools – Catholic and Lutheran
Public Schools
Help youth to establish college
transcripts in middle school.
4-H STEM PROGRAM LEVELS
Levels represent a year of project work conducted at the 4-H Community Club in Milwaukee County.
Level One- Explorer
Conduct 8 or more Explore 4-H STEM general lessons and
3 pre-college lessons
Explore 4-H STEM allows youth to sample lessons from a variety of science and engineering projects from aerospace to woodworking.
Attend STEM seminars for one-day at UW-Waukesha campus. Earn 1 Continue Education Unit.
Exhibit a science or engineering experiment at the Science Fair.
4-H STEM PROGRAM LEVELS
Level Two-Researcher
Choose 2 out of 6 STEM project areas.
Aerospace Computers Environmental
Science
Food Science Mechanical Science Veterinary Science
Conduct 4 or more lessons in each project area.
3 Pre-college lessons.
Attend STEM seminars for one-day at UW-
Waukesha campus. Earn 1 Continue Education Unit.
Exhibit a science or engineering experiment at the
Science Fair.
4-H STEM PROGRAM LEVELS
Level Three-Professional
Attend University of Wisconsin-Richland for one-
week during the summer following Level Two
completion.
Earn 3 Continue Education Units.
VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT
Time frame: school day, afterschool or week
nights
Recruit teachers or staff at the sites as primary,
club leadership.
Recruit University students majoring in STEM
recruited as guest teachers.
-Provide instruction for 2-4 lessons.
Milwaukee School Of Engineering (2011)
Marquette University (2012)
See volunteer description.
Provide Continuing Education for adult training.
PRELIMINARY FINDINGS
STEM STUDENTS IN LEVEL 1-
Interest and Knowledge of Science and Engineering
70% were not involved in engineering classes prior to
this STEM program.
Future Cities Competition and FIRST Lego® League were
reported programs for youth taking engineering classes.
Types of careers to pursue in post graduation from
high school.
Pre-Survey Post Survey
42% Medicine 25% Medicine
14% Engineering 21% Engineering
3% Scientists 16% Types of Science
(chemical, forensic, & marine biologist)
PRELIMINARY FINDINGS FOR COLLEGE
PREPARATION AND READINESS STUDENTS IN
LEVEL 1-
o 76% youth believe that college education would
benefit them in the future (average of pre and
post survey).
o More opportunities for a good job- 25%
o Easier to receive a high paying job – 20%
o 86% students reported family savings as the
source paying for college vs. 58% of families had a
plan prior to the program
PARENTS AND GUARDIANS READINESS FOR
COLLEGE
38% saw the importance of the program as it
expands their child's school learning of STEM
subjects.
92% parents/guardians encouraged their child to
attend college.
Parents/guardian understanding of tuition cost of
2- year campus
Pre Survey Post Survey
40% $15,000 -$30,000 50% $5,000 - $10,000
UW-WAUKESHA DAY SURVEY– STUDENT RESPONSES
Level One
o 81% maybe attending UW-Waukesha for college
o 39% consider a STEM career of the STEM
program.
o 28% find a 2-year campus more affordable than
other 4-year campus alternatives
Level Two
88% considered attending UW-Waukesha for
college
Consider a career in STEM
Yes- 44% Maybe- 44%
STUDENTS’ NOTABLE AND UNIQUE
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE UW-COLLEGE
EXPERIENCE*
“Guaranteed transfer”
“Smaller than a 4-year campus”
“Can save money by starting at a UW-College”
“Some people do not graduate”
“A lot of people drop out of college before they
graduate”
28% of youth reported that a 2-year campus is
more affordable than other alternate 4-year
campuses.** • *Survey data from the UW-Waukesha Day Level one and Level two responses.
• **Survey data from Level one students.
UW-RICHLAND CONTINUING EDUCATION
LEVEL THREE STUDENT SURVEY RESPONSES
College preparation and Readiness
Consider attending UW-Richland for college
Yes- 25% Maybe- 65%
Things they learned about college that did not previously know.
15% - Anyone can attend college.
10% - Noted the drastic difference between 2 and 4 year campuses.
STEM Interest and Skills
o 70% youth predicted that they’ll do better in science class due to the program
o Consider a career in science or engineering after UW-Richland Field experience.
Yes- 55% Maybe-45%
HOW TO DUPLICATE THE PROGRAM IN YOUR
COMMUNITY?
Find a higher education partner able to issue
Continuing Education Units and/or Credits to
middle school youth
Recruit STEM professionals and
educators as volunteer instructors.
Identify a funding method through
grants and/or registration fees.
Partner for level 3 with a two-year university or
college with dorm or living accommodations.
Develop a STEM Advisory Committee for helping
to assist with building resources.
ECOLOGY DISASTER
Jackie Biernat
It tells college is
not difficult and
that the
average person
can attend
college. It is
not just for the
smart or the
wealthy people.
I liked the
learning about
science and
engineering of
ancient
cultures,
especially the
architecture.
ALEX CAMPOS I LEARNED THAT IF YOU DON’T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO ATTEND SCHOOL YOU CAN GET A SCHOLARSHIP OR GRANT THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY BACK. FUN THINGS. SCIENCE 101. BUILDING A SMALL TEMPLE OUT OF LIME AND MORTAR. I LIKE IT BECAUSE IT INVOLVED ENGINEERING. I WANT TO BE AN ENGINEER OR INVENTOR.
SAMANTHA
I LEARNED THAT THERE ARE TONS OF
THINGS IN THE WORLD TO DO BUT I
WANT TO BE AN ANIMAL COP FOR
NOW, SO THIS REALLY INTERESTED
ME.
KATIE KRAUSE
I ENJOYED THE FOOD SCIENCE BECAUSE I TO GOT EAT AND LEARN. I LEARNED ABOUT
THE ORIGINS OF FOOD IN THE FOOD SCIENCE COURSE. COLLEGE PREP-I ALSO HAD TO
LEARN ABOUT LIVING WITH THE HELP OF MY FAMILY AS I LIVED IN THE DORMS THIS PAST
WEEK.
MARWAN
DURING THE COLLEGE EXPERIENCE AT UW-RICHLAND, SCIENCE & ENGINEERING CLASSES HAVE GIVEN ME AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT I WANT TO BE. I HAVE MANY CHOICES TO CONSIDER SUCH AS BEING AN ARCHAEOLOGIST, MARINE BIOLOGIST, MARINE PHOTOGRAPHER AND PHARMACIST. THESE ARE ONLY SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT UW-RICHLAND/UW-WAUKESHA HAVE GIVEN ME.
UW-RICHLAND
EXPERIENCE
Miguel
I think that the best thing about Richland was
getting to meet new people. Now I know that no
matter what anyone can attend college
MAHMOUD JABER BUILDING TELESCOPES AND MAKING NEW FRIENDS. I LIKE USING MY TELESCOPE AND GETTING USED TO SEEING EVERYTHING BACKWARDS IN THE TELESCOPE.
ZACH JONES
I LEARNED THAT IS FUN AND I
HAVE TO BE VERY
INDEPENDENT IN COLLEGE. IF
YOU KEEP STUDYING, YOU’LL
BE PREPARED FOR LATER IN
LIFE. I ENJOYED SCIENCE 101
(ARCHEOLOGY) AND GEOLOGIST
CLASSES. I LIKE THE FOOD
CULTURE BECAUSE YOU
LEARNED HOW TO CULTURES
LIVED AND ATE.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF PROGRAM
SPONSORS
UW-Extension-Vice Chancellor’s Office for Program Innovation Fund
Office of National and Community Service – Ameri Corp VISTA program
Milwaukee County
4-H Council
University of Wisconsin-Waukesha, Continuing Education
University of Wisconsin-Waukesha Foundation
Saint Joseph’s Academy aka Child Development Center
Time Warner Cable’s Connect a Million Minds Campaign
CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION.
Program Website:
http://milwaukee.uwex.edu/youth/pre-college-4-h-science-technology-engineering-and-mathematics-stem-program/
Michelle Gonzalez [email protected] 4-H Youth Development Program Coordinator, Milwaukee County UW- Cooperative Extension
Eva Terry [email protected] 4-H STEM Pre-College AmeriCorp VISTA, Milwaukee County UW- Cooperative Extension
Mary Thiry - [email protected] 4-H STEM Program Advisor, Milwaukee County UW- Cooperative Extension
Jenni Vaughn- [email protected] 4-H Youth Program Recruiter, Milwaukee County UW- Cooperative Extension
Holly Wehrhahn - [email protected] Operations Manager, UW-Waukesha Continuing Education