Through a partnership involving The University of Texas at Brownsville (UTB) College of Mathematics, Science, and Technology, the School of Education Alternative Certification Program, local school districts, the Region One Education Service Center, The Brownsville Children's Museum, and the Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists (MAES), this Noyce Phase I scholarship program is increasing the number of highly qualified mathematics and science teachers in under-represented schools in this area of the Rio Grande Valley. A closely mentored alternative certification program targets STEM majors who decide to teach late in the course of completion of their undergraduate STEM degrees, as well as career changers who have completed an undergraduate STEM degree and seek an alternative certification. The program also provides undergraduates with summer internship opportunities to actively participate in the organization, planning and implementation of informal science outreach activities, with the aim of attracting these students into the scholarship program and into teaching careers. The major project goals are to use these institutional partnerships to develop and implement strategies that recruit, prepare and certify 28 diverse, highly qualified mathematics, computer science, and science bilingual teachers, and to aid in their retention by providing new teacher orientation, ongoing support, and mentoring. This project is in particular focusing on encouraging and supporting more Hispanics - an underrepresented group in science and mathematics - to enter into STEM teaching fields, and thus is helping to create an infusion of teachers who are role models (Si Puedes! - Yes, You can!).
