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The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center offers free field trips in April for Title One (60%) schools in San Diego County.
The field trips are offered as an incentive for low-income schools to introduce students to engaging science learning.
San Diego, CA—April 8, 2015—The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center is offering free gallery admission field trips for Title One (60%) schools in the month of April. Educators at qualifying schools are encouraged to apply by filling out the application available on the Fleet Science Center’s website.
A visit to the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center can be a valuable learning experience for students of all ages. It's an opportunity to take the science lesson out of the text books and experience science firsthand.
"We're very excited to be offering this scholarship through the month of April. It’s an excellent opportunity for students from kindergarten through 12th grade," said Kris Mooney, the Director of Education at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center.
The scholarship is extended to all schools that meet the qualification of 60% of studen.ts or more in the free or reduced lunch program. All qualifying schools will be granted the scholarship.
The Fleet has many exhibitions that mesh with specific science lessons students may already be learning in the classroom. For junior high and high school biology, the Fleet offers Cellular Journey, an exhibition that explores the process by which cells develop and specialize for specific roles in the human body. Another Fleet exhibition, So Watt, investigates how energy and electricity are created and dispersed to power our cities. This is a great exhibition for students of all ages learning about energy and the power grid. These are just two of many exhibitions at the Fleet with direct reference to classroom science content. The Fleet offers 100+ "do touch" science exhibits available across our eight exhibit galleries.
“The primary goal for offering the scholarships is to make sure everyone has access to the kind of meaningful science experiences that leave lifelong impressions,” said Dr. Steve Snyder, CEO of the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center. “Fewer than 20% of California 8th graders are scoring as proficient in science, and the scores are even lower among students from low-income and minority households. The Fleet is in a unique position to be able to offer an opportunity for positive change in science learning for these populations.”
“We intend to get as many students in here as the scholarship fund will allow,” said Mooney. “We encourage any educator from any school that qualifies to apply for the scholarship. The goal is to give young people an opportunity to learn about science. If this scholarship is helpful for students who might not have had the opportunity to visit the Fleet otherwise, we are happy to provide it.”
In addition to the scholarship, the Fleet Science Center has other options available for schools that don’t meet the 60% Title One qualification. Field trip prices at the Fleet can be as low as $5 per student. Another option is to bring the Fleet directly to the classroom. The Fleet’s Science To Go program brings many educational science programs to schools, such as Weather Watchers, Chemistry Concepts or Energy Explorers. Science To Go is an ideal option for schools that would like to experience the Fleet but find bus transportation fees for field trips challenging. Interested educators are encouraged to call the Fleet client services department to inquire about the options available to them.
"As a nonprofit with a mission to inspire science learning, the more young people we can engage in science, the bigger our impact,” said Dr. Snyder. "Through programs like this we create an opportunity where students, teachers, the Fleet and our supporters all win."
The application for the April field trip scholarship is available for download. To find out more about the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center’s educational programming for schools, please visit the website at www.rhfleet.org, or call the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center client services department at 619-238-1233 x806.
Scholarship Application for Download.
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For interviews or more information regarding the scholarships for media purposes, please contact Reuben H. Fleet Science Center Public Relations Manager Nathan Young at 619-685-5743 or nyoung@rhfleet.org.
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Sources
According to the National Academy of Sciences, minority populations—including African Americans, Latinos and Native Americans—comprised 28.5% of the U.S. population in 2006 but only 9.1% of college-educated individuals employed in science and engineering occupation.
Source: http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=12984
According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), only 51% of low-income students are entering college.
According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), less than 20% of California 8th Graders are scoring proficient in science.
Source: http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/seind08/c8/c8.cfm?opt=1&selected=yes&action=map&colname=808
Source: http://www.ocregister.com/articles/students-353581-state-scores.html