Mercer MESSAGE

Major Financial Support

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The American Honda Foundation Grant

Central South Summer Math, Science, and Engineering Camps for Rising 5th, 6th, and 7th Graders

Sponsors: 

• Mercer University
• Mercer Center for Community Development
• Bibb County Public Schools
• American Association of University Women (AAUW)
• American Honda Foundation

Project Co-directors:

• Dr. Linda Hensel, Associate Professor of Biology
• Dr. Hope McIlwain, Assistant Professor of Mathematics
• Ms. Joan Burtner, Assistant Professor of Engineering

Project Summary:

We propose to pilot two academically focused summer camps for talented, minority children from an underprivileged neighborhood and Title I public elementary schools. Our goal is to reinforce students’ mathematics, science, and engineering interests early in their education. One camp (Mercer MESSAGE) will focus on science and mathematics skills and will be offered to rising fifth and sixth grade girls. The other camp (Mercer TECH) will focus on engineering and technology skills and will be offered to rising sixth and seventh grade boys and girls and some of their teachers. The project will enable the boys and girls to succeed in a unique scientific endeavor and to be connected with tiered mentoring in the community. By offering both a single-sex camp for girls and a coed camp, we hope to establish a situation in which data can be obtained to assess the impact that each type of camp has on the girls’ future interest and success in mathematics, science, and engineering. A long-term goal is to establish a yearly camp that provides the most effective environment for increasing campers’ interest and successes in mathematics, science, and engineering education. The project will also allow teachers to develop and deliver course modules that incorporate technology.