Middle School Programs
College Is For You Program Junior Law / Court Works Math & Science Outreach Programs for Talented Youth
College Is For You Program
College Is For You, launched in November, 2005, centers around three key concepts - Dream, Explore, and Succeed, guiding eighth graders to consider future career opportunities and the role that college can play in making their dreams come true. This innovative program explains requirements for college admission, whether at major universities or local community colleges, and what colleges expect of potential students. In addition, students learn of Arizona's commitment to high school students with the AIMS Honors Tuition Waiver. They also discover the importance of taking courses of rigor during their high school years and of the advantages of Advanced Placement programs. Financial aid opportunities are explained as well. Also, College Is For You has a parent component offered to all schools in both English and Spanish. The program is provided to any Arizona school district requesting services. In 2005-2006, over 1200 students, from eleven schools, participated in the College Is For You program. In 2007-2008, 3400, from over 25 school, participated. Data collected from four years of programming indicates that students lack adult direction in preparing for college. They worry about meeting college requirements, the cost of attendance, and having the support to make it through college. In the fall of 2008, a College is For You newsletter will be offered to 5th and 9th grade students and their teachers to prompt discussions of why attend college and how one can prepare for admission. For more information, please contact Program Director: Patricia Nash at options@asu.edu Learn more
Junior Law / Court Works
Junior Law is an educational outreach program designed to expose local middle school students to some aspects of law school. ASU Law students present a high interest case then encourage the students to debate the issues. A favorite case among students is New Jersey v. T.L.O., where a vice principal reasonably suspected a 14-year-old freshman of violating school policy by smoking in the bathroom. A search of the girl's purse revealed drug paraphernalia and probable cause for arrest. Based on these facts the students debate whether the vice principal's search of the girl's purse was reasonable under the 4th Amendment. It is a thrill to engage teenage students in structured conversations about the 4th Amendment because their egocentrism illuminates some of our fundamental interests in personal privacy. Talking with teachers after class is also always a treat because often some of the brightest and most engaged students are those who are failing and potentially slipping through the cracks in the educational system. Law students close classroom visits by highlighting the Court's reasoning, and answering student questions about law school. For many students in underserved schools, one obstacle to success is simply knowing the educational requirements for various careers. During Junior Law classroom visits, law students highlight the importance of academic achievement and encourage students to meet the requirements for law school application. Participation in Junior Law is a rewarding experience that requires a small time commitment. If you are interested in further information, contact Program Director: Michael Zimmerman at Michael.W.Zimmerman@asu.edu.
Math & Science Outreach
The Math and Science Outreach program is designed to strengthen the professional development of math and science teachers and to enrich the learning of elementary, middle and high school students through the availability of classroom tested materials. During the past year the program has offered teachers with opportunities for professional development in biosciences and identified and piloted earth sciences materials to be used in middle school classrooms. The program has also developed collaborations with researchers at Arizona State University to bring current topics of research and leading edge technologies to schools in the Greater Phoenix Valley. For more information, please contact the Program Director: Dr. Anna Rosa Lampis at ar.lampis@asu.edu. or visit their webpage Math & Science Outreach.
Programs for Talented Youth
Programs for Talented Youth, a component of the Office of Youth Preparation, is an academic enrichment program which offers third through seventh grade students the opportunity to experience challenging courses from a variety of academic disciplines. It offers courses at the Tempe Campus during a three-week summer program, and a six-week Saturday program in the fall and spring. The program is designed to provide students with courses that are interdisciplinary, enriching, and stimulating, utilizing the resources of a Research 1 university. Engineering A to Z, Creative Writing, Astrobiology: The Search for Life in the Universe, Exploring Robotics, Introduction to Physics, Let Your Fingers do the Talking, Gateway to Mandarin & Culture, and Computer Graphics and Animation are few of the courses offered. Working with public, private, and charter schools, the program is committed to pursuing multiple gateways for identification and recruitment in order to enhance opportunities for youth. This commuter program has had students participate from schools in Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe, Tolleson, Scottsdale, Yuma, Peoria, Chandler, Goodyear, Nadaburg, Casa Grande, Page, Flagstaff, and Tucson, to name a few. In addition, students have come from California, Nevada, Japan, and Brazil. For more information, please contact Program Director: Mary Frances Luna at talentedyouth@asu.edu Learn more
Young Writers Program
The Young Writers Program provides opportunities for Arizona students to experience success as writers while simultaneously addressing writing concepts and skills that increase chances for achievement. Working in partnership with ASU's Creative Writing Program, the Young Writers Program places Master of Fine Arts candidates as teaching writers in local schools, community-based organizations, and other ASU outreach programs that serve youth. M.F.A. candidates are trained and mentored in outreach pedagogy and receive faculty support. This approach enhances ASU's ability to strengthen its communities by providing 4-12th grade students with quality creative writing programs designed to foster an understanding and enthusiasm for writing as a life-long skill. It provides classroom teachers with ideas for curriculum enhancement, and provides opportunities for M.F.A. students to develop as teaching artists by practicing in a wide variety of educational settings. The Young Writers Program creates opportunities for students to experience success as writers through artistic residencies in which M.F.A. candidates from ASU's Creative Writing Program are trained and mentored to work in individual classrooms to provide curriculum and instruction to students. Each residency occurs over the course of 15 hours of classroom time, ranging in length between three to six weeks. During each residency YWP instructors share their specialized knowledge, skill, and passion for writing with students and teachers. The arts-based curriculum is designed to demystify the writing process for students, improving confidence in their ability to write and in themselves, opening a window to develop writing skills and change the way students think about and value writing. This artist-driven strategy additionally benefits students by providing a direct interaction with higher education through the positive role model of a working writer in their classroom. Instructors work closely with classroom teachers to model creative writing strategies and lessons, providing teachers with an opportunity to observe, participate and gain insights for implementing new approaches to writing instruction. YWP works with approximately 20-30 (4-12th grade) Arizona classrooms per year. Schools are selected for partnerships through an application process, with priority given to schools listed as "underperforming" by Arizona's Department of Education. For more information, please contact Sean Nevin, Assistant Director, Piper Center for Creative Writing. ywp@asu.edu Learn more