“High Schools Improving Lives with Engineering Projects in Community Service-Learning”

http://epics-high.ecn.purdue.edu/

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Pamela DexterEPICS High School Program CoordinatorPurdue University

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Service – students participate in service for the underserved in a community

Academically-based – reinforces or connects with the subject material of the academic course

Reciprocity – Mutual needs, mutual learning

Reflection (Analysis, metacognition) – Students reflect (analyze) on their experience and learning

Characteristics of Service-Learning

EPICS programs at 20 universities 33 High schools in 6 states

◦ California, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Texas

New – EPICS High Programs in South Africa!

The EPICS Consortium

80% of high school seniors entering college participated in community service or service-learning◦ Female and minority students more inclined to

continue service◦ Many honors diplomas require service

Service-learning in high schools rarely connected with engineering/science/math

EPICS provides an opportunity to tap into this wave of volunteerism

Motivation: Connecting engineering with people and local communities

33 Schools Participating 1875 Student Participants

42% Female Participants

37% Underrepresented Participants

Over 253,000 people positively effected by EPICS High projects!

Impact: Changing the EquationIncluded in the mission of the EPICS High program is outreach to underrepresented populations. Reports from schools in October 2009 show the following impact:

12 Rural Schools 8 Suburban Schools 13 Urban Schools

26 In-school Programs 5 After-schools Programs

Impact: Varied Program ModelsEPICS High is creating a variety of models to replicate throughout the nation. Of the 35 existing schools, current models are:

◦Human Services Examples: Habitat for Humanity, YMCA, Local Food Banks

◦Access & Abilities Examples: Special Needs Students in Schools, Local

Organizations for Handicap or Disabled Residents

◦Environmental Examples: State Environmental Depts., Recycling groups

◦Education & Outreach Examples: Feeder Elem. Or Middle Schools, Local Children’s

Museums

EPICS Projects Fall Into 4 Broad Areas of Interest:

Guidance Department ESL Assistant Software Computers give a welcome message Spanish

speakers. The menu allows parents/students to select from options including: enrollment, withdrawal, and frequently asked questions. Forms completed by users then revert to English for counselors and school use.

Say YES America Lessons Creating PowerPoint lessons for each of the 44

phonemes collaborating with elementary school teachers. Designed to help children to understand sounds and learn to read.

Project Example: McCutcheon High SchoolTippecanoe County, Indiana

Seniors participating in semester long program

Some of the projects completed: Recyclable materials storage

unit Custom stage stairs for animals Mobil art cart Custom sports equipment rack Climbing tree structure Raptor Cage for local wildlife

rescue Motorized Copy Holder for

special needs student

Project Example: High Tech High San Diego, California

Raptor Cage

Motorized Copy Holder

Desktop Aquaponics This project will train students to build indoor desktop aquaponics

systems by teaching students about basic design, instrumentation, and project execution. Students who become proficient will be sent to maintain systems that have been built by previous EPICS students in the school and in a local senior center.

Community Elevated GardensThis project will involve the school’s EPICS Engineering and Aquatic Biology students in hands-on service-learning projects to design and build Elevated Outdoor Aquaponics Systems, Irrigation Systems, and Hydroponics Systems in community gardens around Harlem. This project will help build community intergenerational collaboration

In Addition: Presented the idea of developing a system for students to partner with elementary school teachers and create projects to help them teach science

Project Example: Fredrick Douglass Academy Harlem, New York

The Frederick Douglass Academy

Pacific Ridge School Campus Stewardship Project Recycling auditing/setup/maintenance Worm bin setup/maintenance (food composting) Designed and constructed athletic equipment storage box, garden

equipment storage shed, and field-side benches Designed and planted PRS garden (using worm compost)

Elementary School Outreach Project Performed recycling/trash audit at local elementary school Educating students on basics of recycling Implementing school-wide recycling plan

Project Green Partner with regional restaurant chain for the purpose of helping them ‘go

green’ Analyzing customer survey data

Project Example: Pacific Ridge School Carlsbad, California

Computerized Food Pantry Inventory Project

Students are working with all food pantries in county to sep up a computerized inventory system for tracking food items and customer information

Project Example: Harbor Beach HS Michigan

Project Ride Pleasant Grove is working with an organization that uses horses and

horseback riding as therapy for students with special needs by creating an interactive device that students can use while riding. Riders will pick up animal shaped pieces and ride across the arena to place them in a "puzzle" format which will then elicit the sound that the animal makes.

Music Room Organization Two guitar racks were made for the music teacher at Pleasant Grove

HS. A guitar class was storing guitars in a room with no organizing devices/furniture and they can now organize and store the guitars more securely.

World of Wonders Museum The World of Wonders is a local museum that has interactive science

displays. Pleasant Grove is designing and building prototypes of displays that may be able to built and given to the museum as working exhibits.

Project Example: Pleasant Grove HSSacramento, CA

Historic 9th Street Composting Jefferson HS is working with the 9th Street neighborhood

association to have a central location for yard and food composting. Composters are being built and cages are being made to prevent animals from getting in the food compost.

Recycled Paint Mural A group of students is focusing on designing a simple mural using

left-over acrylic paint to paint a mural in the school. It will promote an environmental message and beautify bland hallway.

Civic Theatre A/V Equipment This project is working with the Civic Theatre to write grants for

new A/V equipment. The group will coordinate volunteer efforts of the electricians and then will create procedures for use of the equipment that will keep electricity usage minimal.

Project Example: Jefferson HSLafayette, IN

Blower Door/Energy Audits Students in an engineering class are building blower doors that

enhance the quality of the energy audits that students will perform for local organizations and their facilities.

Energy Savings Float Students are building a mobile float/display that will teach people

easy ways to fixing common home inefficiencies. The display will then be presented at school and town events.

Attic Door Cover An after-school group at Leicester HS is building insulated attic

door covers to help improve efficiency losses that commonly occur from attic doors. The covers will be made mostly of recycled material and will be implemented in a home.

Project Example: Leicester HSLeicester, MA

Royal Oak Township Parks and Recreation University HS has worked to create and donate 25 computers to two

different community groups. The first group was the Parks and Recreation branch of Royal Oak Township, which is an impoverished community in the Ferndale area. The EPICS class donated 15 computers to this program.

Head Start University HS gave the remaining 10 computers to the local Head Start

Program. The Head Start had very old computers for the students.Web Services University High School used hardware and software purchased to

provide web pages for organizations that otherwise could not afford the expertise or the equipment for such digital media solutions.

All of these projects have been in partnership with Lawrence Technological University. They have offered students internships and have paid for the students wages.

Project Example: University HSFerndale, MI

Teachers and/or a school administrators to attend an EPICS High training

 

Mentors for High Schools to add engineering and other expertise to compliment teachers

Limited funds to purchase project materials Community Partners in need of projects to help

them serve the public (ex: Habitat for Humanity, Local Middle and Elementary Schools, and a City Parks Department)

Students who enjoy hands-on projects and want to learn important professional skills

Ingredients for getting started…

Assessment of the EPICS High program currently consists of:◦ Site Visits◦ Annual Progress Reports◦ Student Surveys – Post-EPICS and Senior◦ Survey by Community Partners◦ More Detailed Research Component Coming

Soon!

Evaluation of the summer teacher trainings by participants

The High School EPICS Model: Evaluation and Assessment

EPICS High Year 1 & 2 Data Combined778 of 1151 total students responded to surveys (67.6%)

EPICS Effect on Student STEM Attitude and Interest:70.0% Show increased interest in taking STEM classes in High School

76.2% Show increased interest in pursuing a STEM major

80.0% Show increased interest in pursuing a STEM career

65.1% Students state that EPICS influenced them to stay in schoolMost data collected at this point is quantitative – qualitative data collection is now underway to get a deeper understanding

EPICS High is changing students perceptions

EPICS High Year 1 & 2 Data Combined

01020304050

EPICS Ability To Demonstrate How Engineering Helps People

% Male% Female% Undereppresemted% Total Population

EPICS has the potential to play a role in addressing many current issues including:

Declining interest in Engineering/Computing Continued underrepresentation of women and

minorities Drop out rates Improving STEM education Global competitiveness Building capacity in communities and schools Compelling needs of underserved populations

EPICS High: Potential for Impact

EPICS High continues to bring together the resources for a large-scale national roll-out. Due to the success and overwhelming interest in the program, long-term plans have been accelerated

Plans for growth include: Securing funding to set up regional training

centers Established partnerships with professional

societies such as; NSBE, SWE, SHPE, etc. with similar goals and missions

Engaging state Service-Learning representatives Training of regional trainers Establishing Teacher Fellows program

EPICS High: Moving Forward

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