This project addresses the STEM educational needs of underserved, urban communities in the East San Francisco Bay Area. The Emery and Oakland Unified School Districts, Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California at Berkeley, California State University - East Bay School of Teacher Education, and Key Curriculum Press will conduct a three-year project to develop, implement and evaluate the East Bay Academy for Young Scientists (EBAYS). EBAYS will engage students and teachers in community-based research and STEM content learning activities focusing on topics aligned with state and national standards in earth, physical and life science, as well as information technology education. The STEM content of EBAYS will center on relevant environmental, health, cultural and socio-economic issues of local urban communities. The project will be structured around research questions related to these issues, and EBAYS students will collect, organize and present relevant information in teams facilitated by high school age interns affiliated with LHS' ESITA program and UC Berkeley undergraduates. EBAYS will serve a total of 300 students in grades four through eight, with each student having 204 contact hours per year in after-school programs and summer enrichment components. Thirty UC Berkeley undergraduate students and 30 local high school students will also gain valuable teaching and research experiences through their involvement in the project. Through annual public events the project will include the participation of approximately 250 family members and friends of EBAYS students. EBAYS will also provide enrichment experiences for 30 current and/or pre-service teachers, including immersive summer programs and weekend workshops on the community-based research and inquiry learning approaches used in the project.
