What is the MAS Academy?

Key Components of the ASPIRA MAS Academy

The MAS Academy combines four key components aimed at enriching the regular coursework of students in math and science, building the students interest and aspiration to pursue a Science, Math or Technology (SMT) career, and increasing the awareness, education, and support of those around them. The key components are described below.

Academic Enrichment and Support through the Academic Year. Students participate in a host of highly motivating, hands-on mathematics and science experiences designed by math & science educators and led by teachers. The students meet at least two hours per week with teachers, tutors, or professionals as role models to receive assistance with homework and acquire new academic skills in math and science.

Summer Enrichment Program. Four to six-week, daily summer sessions that include experiential hands-on and extra-curricular learning activities in mathematics and science, problem-solving exercises, and field trips to Science Museums, Universities, or other scientific institutions.

Teacher, Coordinator, Tutor Awareness and Training. Sessions are held for counselor, coordinator, and tutors to increase their awareness and understanding of the importance of SMT education. The sessions will also focus on use of curricular hands-on materials and implementation of the MAS Academy.

Parent Awareness and Support. Sessions are held for parents focusing on building a partnership within the family that reinforces academic growth and achievement and which encourages parents to become advocates for their child's academic development in mathematics and science.

mas2.gif (54789 bytes)

Methods for the MAS Academy

Participants in the MAS Academy will meet for at least two hours every week to participate in enrichment activities throughout the year in various SMT activities including:

Hands-on Activities: Group experiential learning through hands-on activities prepared by NSTA (National Science Teachers Association), NCTM (National Council of Teachers in Mathematics) NASA, Lawrence Hall of Science (LHS), NSF (National Science Foundation), or other similar institutions committed to SMT education.

Career Day in which participants will take a closer look at what scientists and mathematicians do in real life through a series of short video productions and other activities presenting a variety of minority scientists in dozens of fields explaining their profession and the relevance of science education.

Ask-A-Scientist Day to follow Career Day in which scientists come into the classroom as role models to present a real life discussion on particular questions the participants may have on science, mathematics, engineering, or technology.

Visit to relevant scientific institutions, such as the Liberty Science Center in NJ which has various hands-on science exhibits for youth, the New York Hall of Science (with 185 hands-on science exhibits), The Panasonic Learning Lab, or other institutions with similar missions.

Parent Involvement sessions where parent and child learn to perform hands-on math or science activities for practice in the home.

Overview of Accomplishments
ASPIRA Math and Science (MAS) Academy

Strategic Planning: Creation of a long-term plan for the development, expansion, and sustainability of the MAS Academy.

The plan focuses on curriculum development, professional development for math/science teachers and administrators, and instructional technology and infrastructure expansion for teachers and student use. The purpose of the plan is to establish a backbone for on-going technical assistance offered by the National Office to all local implementation sites.

Program Implementation: Implementation of the program in urban areas with high Latino population.

The academy has been successfully implemented in Chicago through ASPIRA of Illinois, Newark, NJ, Camden, NJ,Carolina, PR and Miami, FL through ASPIRA of Florida’s Accolade Middle School. The Academy has served hundreds of students at these sites.

Program Institutionalization: Receipt of multi-agency, multi-year contracts for the MAS Academy in 1997-2000.

Over the past yeasr, the MAS academy has received funding from the following organizations: The Carnegie Corporation of New York, The Annenberg Foundation, The Matsushita Foundation, The American Honda Foundation, the school district of the city of Newar, The William Penn Foundation, AT&T and Lucent technologies.

Hands-on Activities: Performance of hands-on activities in math and science by hundreds of students.

Performance of hands-on activities in the areas of chemistry, genetics, properties of matter, light and electricity, the solar system, energy, arithmetic, perimeters and areas, volume, and other topics.

Tutoring: Tutoring through 225 tutoring sessions in the 1997-1998 year.

Tutors from the MAS Academy have provided tutoring in math and science to approximately 250 students per school per year in the schools serviced by the program.

Science Fair Involvement: During the1997-1998 academic year a total of 80 science projects from MAS students were presented in Science Fairs.
Visits to Scientific Institutions: Visits to museums, space facilities, planetariums and other institutions.

MAS Academy students have visited a number of scientific institutions as part of their activities program, among these were: the Miami Museum of Science, Space Transit Planetarium, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, and the Chicago Botanical Garden.

Parent Involvement: Involvement of dozens of urban, Latino parents in their child’s education.

Parents have been involved through MAS Opening/Closing Ceremonies, Parent’s Night, and through the ASPIRA Parents for Educational Excellence program were 80 parents per year, per school have been trained on how to support their children education and become advocates of educational reform.

Resource Development and Program Support: Resource development in math and science through the use of the Internet.

Throughsupport from the Annenberg Foundation ASPIRA has developed CASA MAS (Community Allies for Smart Access to Math And Science) web site that will provide access to information, resources, discourse, and strategies in math and science education through the Internet to teachers, students, parents, administrators, and other advocates of math and science education.

Partnerships: Partnerships with organizations that serve tens of thousands of youth each year.

During the past year we have partnered or have been negotiating partnerships with the following organizations: American Association for the Advancement of Science (Washington, DC), Family Education Company, Boston, MA, Liberty Science Center (Jersey City, NJ) and New York Hall of Science (Corona Park, NY). These partnerships have allowed us to leverage our funding while aiding us in achieving our program goals.

Summer Enrichment Program

The summer program will be primarily composed of intensive, all-day, hands-on science and math activities. The MAS Academy will be held every weekday and run for four to six weeks and will include field trips and events similar to those throughout the year.

Through the Summer MAS Academy, students have been intensively involved in the discovery of Science. Among the activities and materials that will be used in the Summer MAS Academy are materials developed by ASPIRA on topics such as Biology (the cell, bacteria, digestion, excretion, photosynthesis, the plant kingdom), Genetics (inheritance and chance, DNA), Physical Science (viscosity, chromatography, pH, density, gas and volume, surface tension), Physics (light and electricity, conductors, static electricity, circuits, magnetism), General Science (weather, measurement, estimation), Earth/Environmental Sciences (the solar system, planetary motion, populations), and Math (algebra, arithmetic, percentages, square roots, geometry). All the activities mentioned above are hands-on, foster group learning, and are of interest to students involving them in a journey of self-discovery.

The summer allows for time to visit scientific research institutions, trips to museums, and other activities where students could learn at their own pace and about their own interests. The Summer MAS Academy begins with an Opening Ceremony where parents, students and teachers can meet to talk about general issues, answer questions, dispel any anxieties about math and science, and discuss activities to come. This informal activity is an excellent initial opportunity for parents to become participants in their children's education. The end of the Summer MAS Academy is marked by a Closing Ceremony where parents, teachers and students once again meet and share the success and experiences of the program. Students receive a certificate of completion and are informed of the MAS Academy activities for the Fall.



Key Components of the ASPIRA MAS Academy The MAS Academy combines four key components aimed at enriching the regular coursework of students in math and science, building the students interest and aspiration to pursue a Science, Math or Technology (SMT) career, and increasing the awareness, education, and support of those around them. The key components are described below. Academic Enrichment and Support through the Academic Year. Students participate in a host of highly motivating, hands-on mathematics and science experiences designed by math & science educators and led by teachers. The students meet at least two hours per week with teachers, tutors, or professionals as role models to receive assistance with homework and acquire new academic skills in math and science. Summer Enrichment Program. Four to six-week, daily summer sessions that include experiential hands-on and extra-curricular learning activities in mathematics and science, problem-solving exercises, and field trips to Science Museums, Universities, or other scientific institutions. Teacher, Coordinator, Tutor Awareness and Training. Sessions are held for counselor, coordinator, and tutors to increase their awareness and understanding of the importance of SMT education. The sessions will also focus on use of curricular hands-on materials and implementation of the MAS Academy. Parent Awareness and Support. Sessions are held for parents focusing on building a partnership within the family that reinforces academic growth and achievement and which encourages parents to become advocates for their child's academic development in mathematics and science.
	Methods for the MAS Academy Participants in the MAS Academy will meet for at least two hours every week to participate in enrichment activities throughout the year in various SMT activities including: Hands-on Activities: Group experiential learning through hands-on activities prepared by NSTA (National Science Teachers Association), NCTM (National Council of Teachers in Mathematics) NASA, Lawrence Hall of Science (LHS), NSF (National Science Foundation), or other similar institutions committed to SMT education. Career Day in which participants will take a closer look at what scientists and mathematicians do in real life through a series of short video productions and other activities presenting a variety of minority scientists in dozens of fields explaining their profession and the relevance of science education. Ask-A-Scientist Day to follow Career Day in which scientists come into the classroom as role models to present a real life discussion on particular questions the participants may have on science, mathematics, engineering, or technology. Visit to relevant scientific institutions, such as the Liberty Science Center in NJ which has various hands-on science exhibits for youth, the New York Hall of Science (with 185 hands-on science exhibits), The Panasonic Learning Lab, or other institutions with similar missions. Parent Involvement sessions where parent and child learn to perform hands-on math or science activities for practice in the home.
Overview of Accomplishments ASPIRA Math and Science (MAS) Academy Strategic Planning: Creation of a long-term plan for the development, expansion, and sustainability of the MAS Academy. The plan focuses on curriculum development, professional development for math/science teachers and administrators, and instructional technology and infrastructure expansion for teachers and student use. The purpose of the plan is to establish a backbone for on-going technical assistance offered by the National Office to all local implementation sites. Program Implementation: Implementation of the program in urban areas with high Latino population. The academy has been successfully implemented in Chicago through ASPIRA of Illinois, Newark, NJ, Camden, NJ,Carolina, PR and Miami, FL through ASPIRA of Florida’s Accolade Middle School. The Academy has served hundreds of students at these sites. Program Institutionalization: Receipt of multi-agency, multi-year contracts for the MAS Academy in 1997-2000. Over the past yeasr, the MAS academy has received funding from the following organizations: The Carnegie Corporation of New York, The Annenberg Foundation, The Matsushita Foundation, The American Honda Foundation, the school district of the city of Newar, The William Penn Foundation, AT&T and Lucent technologies. Hands-on Activities: Performance of hands-on activities in math and science by hundreds of students. Performance of hands-on activities in the areas of chemistry, genetics, properties of matter, light and electricity, the solar system, energy, arithmetic, perimeters and areas, volume, and other topics. Tutoring: Tutoring through 225 tutoring sessions in the 1997-1998 year. Tutors from the MAS Academy have provided tutoring in math and science to approximately 250 students per school per year in the schools serviced by the program. Science Fair Involvement: During the1997-1998 academic year a total of 80 science projects from MAS students were presented in Science Fairs. Visits to Scientific Institutions: Visits to museums, space facilities, planetariums and other institutions. MAS Academy students have visited a number of scientific institutions as part of their activities program, among these were: the Miami Museum of Science, Space Transit Planetarium, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, and the Chicago Botanical Garden. Parent Involvement: Involvement of dozens of urban, Latino parents in their child’s education. Parents have been involved through MAS Opening/Closing Ceremonies, Parent’s Night, and through the ASPIRA Parents for Educational Excellence program were 80 parents per year, per school have been trained on how to support their children education and become advocates of educational reform. Resource Development and Program Support: Resource development in math and science through the use of the Internet. Throughsupport from the Annenberg Foundation ASPIRA has developed CASA MAS (Community Allies for Smart Access to Math And Science) web site that will provide access to information, resources, discourse, and strategies in math and science education through the Internet to teachers, students, parents, administrators, and other advocates of math and science education. Partnerships: Partnerships with organizations that serve tens of thousands of youth each year. During the past year we have partnered or have been negotiating partnerships with the following organizations: American Association for the Advancement of Science (Washington, DC), Family Education Company, Boston, MA, Liberty Science Center (Jersey City, NJ) and New York Hall of Science (Corona Park, NY). These partnerships have allowed us to leverage our funding while aiding us in achieving our program goals.
Summer Enrichment Program The summer program will be primarily composed of intensive, all-day, hands-on science and math activities. The MAS Academy will be held every weekday and run for four to six weeks and will include field trips and events similar to those throughout the year. Through the Summer MAS Academy, students have been intensively involved in the discovery of Science. Among the activities and materials that will be used in the Summer MAS Academy are materials developed by ASPIRA on topics such as Biology (the cell, bacteria, digestion, excretion, photosynthesis, the plant kingdom), Genetics (inheritance and chance, DNA), Physical Science (viscosity, chromatography, pH, density, gas and volume, surface tension), Physics (light and electricity, conductors, static electricity, circuits, magnetism), General Science (weather, measurement, estimation), Earth/Environmental Sciences (the solar system, planetary motion, populations), and Math (algebra, arithmetic, percentages, square roots, geometry). All the activities mentioned above are hands-on, foster group learning, and are of interest to students involving them in a journey of self-discovery.	The summer allows for time to visit scientific research institutions, trips to museums, and other activities where students could learn at their own pace and about their own interests. The Summer MAS Academy begins with an Opening Ceremony where parents, students and teachers can meet to talk about general issues, answer questions, dispel any anxieties about math and science, and discuss activities to come. This informal activity is an excellent initial opportunity for parents to become participants in their children's education. The end of the Summer MAS Academy is marked by a Closing Ceremony where parents, teachers and students once again meet and share the success and experiences of the program. Students receive a certificate of completion and are informed of the MAS Academy activities for the Fall.