Newton Schools Foundation Launches Annual Appeal, Funds STEM Projects

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The Newton Schools Foundation has launched its annual appeal to fund innovation in the Newton Public Schools, and a major part of the requested funding will be for STEM.  Here’s what NSF funded last year in the world of STEM, and what it proposes to fund in the next few years with your contributions.  For further information, contact info@newtonschoolsfoundation.org.

Last year, the NSF funded two STEM projects:

  • Calculus Project.  This was a summer program designed to increase the number of African-American and Hispanic students enrolled in Calculus in high school.  In classes of 12, students spent 3three hours a day over four weeks getting introduced to the curriculum for the upcoming school year.  Guest speakers from STEM fields connected this to real-world problems and careers.  Teachers reported that the program was highly effective in raising test scores and students’ confidence, and in developing bonds for peer support during the school year.
  • Middle School Engineering and Sustainable Energy Generation:  Wind Turbines and Blade Design.    Middle-school engineering teachers developed curriculum focused on blade design for wind turbines.  The NSF funding provided probes, measurement tools, and curriculum-development tools at all four middle schools.
  • Green Trail Project.  At NSHS, the Green Trail links the high school’s organic garden, the wetlands project, the greenhouse, aquariums, and a native forest project.

Among the programs that the NSF wants to fund during 2014-2017 (PDF) are these STEM programs:

Innovation Lab (NNSH, NSHS):  The Innovation Lab supports students’ projects combining art, design, science, mathematics, engineering, digital media, and technology to address complex, ill-defined, real-world problems.

BioBuilder (NNHS, NSHS):  BioBuilder is a synthetic biology curriculum designed by Newton resident and MIT Professor Natalie Kuldell to empower students to tackle real-world problems including biofuels, safer foods, anti-malarial drugs, less toxic cancer treatment and biodegradable adhesives.  This nationwide program has been used for two years by NNHS Biology teacher Andy Dannenberg, and additional funding will be used to expand the program at both high schools.  One possible outcome is the launch of a Newton iGEM team (similar to FIRST robotics, but for bioengineering).

Renovation of NSHS Greenhouse:  The NSHS Greenhouse supports the ecology units of all 11th grade biology courses, AP Biology, the Sustainable Agriculture elective, the Conservation and Environmental Biology, and the new Sustainability Fellows program.  Requested funding will be used for mechanical renovations and expanded capacity.

Equipment for Biotechnology Course (NSHS):  NSHS offers an elective in Biotechnology to involve students in scientific process, independent research, and biotechnology theory and techniques.  Requested funding will be used to ensure a sufficient number of micropipettes for enrolled students.

Musical Staircase (NNHS):  The Honors Engineering course is conducting a year-long project to create a 3-octave musical staircase similar to the Soundstair at the Museum of Science.  Requested funding will provide lasers, detectors, wiring, and speakers.