Promising Practices

The camp is designed to increase awareness of options in science careers, provide additional research practice for students in a field setting to supplement classroom teaching, and expose students to life on a college campus. This project is also designed to increase cooperation between secondary and post-secondary education in that it will be led and taught by a team consisting of a university professor, a high school teacher, and three (3) college students, all of whom will work together to provide detailed, high-level cooperative instruction.

Students lived on NKU's campus for five (5) days while participating in this project. Participants conducted a scientific research project at Big Bone Lick State Park. Students were organized into teams, and each team was responsible for presenting their work to invited guests at the closing ceremony. One team prepared a Powerpoint presentation while the other developed a website about the project. In addition to the academic component, students were given information on financial aid and college admissions, and experienced first-hand what it was like to live on a college campus.

Selected students at each school were asked by teachers, administrators and the GEAR UP site facilitator to apply based on criteria that put them at risk for not continuing education beyond high school. Student comprehension will be gauged based upon content of the final presentations. In order to maintain learning in the future, participants will present their work to their individual schools this fall, and will apply to present their work at various state and national conferences over the next year. In addition, student standardized test scores and grades will be monitored in the coming year. Particular attention will be paid as to whether participants take the ACT in their junior year. Students may also be invited to participate in follow-up programs next summer, pending funds availability. Ultimately, success will be based on student performance as they complete high school and enroll in college.

Universities should be approached at least one year in advance of the anticipated date of the camp to allow sufficient time for planning and staffing. Primary instructional responsibility lies with the university professor, and the high school teacher's role is to ensure age-appropriate instructional techniques and to assist with instruction. The role of the university students is to assist in instruction, and to act as mentors for participants.

$15,000 GEAR UP funds. Matching is significant, and comes in the form of man hours provided by university staff in planning and executing the camp, as well as discounted room & board costs on campus, and facility use. Matching also comes from secondary school personnel involved in recruiting students and hosting informational parent meetings. Total matching for this project has not yet been calculated as the project is ongoing.

Center for Integrative Natural Science and Mathematics (CINSAM)
Biology Integration and Outreach for Science Education (BIOSE)
Big Bone Lick State Park