BESSA Hosts K-12 Students of the LIFTT-NSBE Jr. Chapter for Its "All About STEM Mentorship Series" at UC Berkeley

Oakland, CA, February 15, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Of interest to journalists and editors covering topics related to: STEM education, academic achievement, school improvement, educational leadership, school reform, youth development, community empowerment, supplemental education, and parental involvement
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All About STEM Mentorship Series: Motivating K-12 students of the LIFTT-NSBE Jr. Chapter through inquiry-based learning, engineering design activities, and collegiate mentorship.

On Saturday, February 11, 2012, the Black Student Engineering and Science Association (BESSA), a student-run organization and affiliate of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) invited students and parents of the LIFTT-NSBE Jr. Chapter to attend its "All About STEM Mentorship Series" at UC Berkeley. Students were in attendance from various public, private, and homeschooling systems throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
With the goal of promoting academic excellence, personal growth, and commitment to minority communities, BESSA convened a group of 28 elementary, middle, and high school students for the purpose of motivating them in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Weruche Okaru, a senior engineering student at UC Berkeley and President of BESSA, spearheaded the planning for this event with the help of other collegiate members of BESSA. BESSA will continue its "All About STEM Mentorship Series" with two more sessions in March and April 2012.

This first session in BESSA's "All About STEM Mentorship Series" focused on the science component of STEM education. Collegiate members of BESSA presented dynamic and inspiring mini-lectures and video-based demonstrations on key science concepts (e.g., potential energy, kinetic energy, force and motion, thermodynamics, etc.). Some of the lectures also included presentations about college engineering majors, STEM careers, and the contributions of African-Americans to STEM fields. Next, students participated in a discussion about the relationship between game design, computer programming languages, and key math concepts that undergird the theory behind computer programming.

After lunch, students were divided into age-appropriate groups (and by grade level) for hands-on, inquiry-based learning. The elementary students created Oobleck (a slime with solid and liquid properties). The middle and high school students were also divided into small groups and were challenged to design and build model roller coasters. BESSA members served as academic mentors as they provided students with individualized attention, explained the science behind the activity, and offered encouragement and support. To conclude the day, students were invited to compete for prizes by completing a homework assignment that required them to write an essay and conduct research about an assigned STEM professional.

The "All About STEM Mentorship Series" proved to be a huge success! It was amazing to see collegiate students from UC Berkeley prioritizing the futures of K-12 students of the LIFTT-NSBE Jr. Chapter. It was inspiring to witness the students' excitement as they engaged in design-based and project-based learning activities. It was also assuring to see enthusiastic parents engaging with their children (and other people's children) throughout the day.

At a time when President Barack Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan has issued a clarion call to prioritize educational and community initiatives that prepare our nation's youth to become global leaders, innovators, and forward thinkers of tomorrow in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, BESSA, NSBE, and LIFTT Inc. are answering the call with boldness and a zeal for high impact!

To learn more about the LIFTT-NSBE Jr. Chapter, visit www.liftt-nsbejr.org or www.lifttinc.org. To learn more about BESSA, visit www.ucbessa.org.

LIFTT-NSBE Jr.

LIFTT-NSBE Jr., aka Leaders, Innovators, and Forward Thinkers of Tomorrow, began its youth chapter in Oakland, CA in 2010 with the goal of fulfilling the mission of the National Society of Black Engineers which is to increase the number of culturally-responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally, and positively impact the community. Sponsored by LIFTT Inc., the LIFTT-NSBE Jr. Chapter is run by youth officers under the guidance of its volunteer chapter advisors, Dr. NNeka Harrison and Dr. Chris Harrison.

LIFTT Inc.

LIFTT Inc. is a non-profit organization that serves youth and young adults (and partners with families and community-stakeholders) with the goal of creating the next generation of leaders, innovators, and forward thinkers in fields related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. LIFTT Inc. is organized and operated exclusively for charitable purposes within section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

For more information, visit http://www.lifttinc.org.

Media Contact:
Dr. NNeka Harrison
of LIFTT Inc.
E-mail: [email protected]