9555817 Fontaine Elizabeth City State University and five rural, economically disadvantaged, predominately African-American public school systems will implement a comprehensive regional project, entitled the Dr. C.D. Turnage Science, Math and Technology Scholars Program for Girls. The goals are to create positive and permanent changes in academic, social, and scientific climates in order to allow the interest and aptitude women and girls display in science, engineering, and mathematics (SEM) to flourish and to add to our knowledge about interactions between gender and the SEM infrastructure. The program will include: teachers, counselors, and central office staff, female eighth graders, parents, business and industry. The project will train 300 educators, 200 teachers, 50 administrators, 25 counselors, and 25 central office staff members in the areas of enhancing access to equity education and equitable opportunities, gender equity expectations for student achievement, EQUALS Training, multidisciplinary mathematics and science, constructivism in science and mathematics, and alternative assessment. 240 eighth grade girls will participate in after school clubs, a Saturday academy, and a summer enrichment institute designed to enhance their education and careers in the fields of science, mathematics, and technology. Parents will attend activities with their daughters to provide input in their educational programs. A Scholars Program manual will be made available to each state's division of science, math and technology to help them replicate this program. A partnership among university, public school and local businesses will work to create a positive climate for mathematics and science learning among middle school students. Led by Elizabeth City State University faculty, school personnel will examine how to deliver equitable education to all students. This will result in more students enrolling and succeeding in upper level math and science courses. ***