MYSCI TO EMBARK ON FIFTH SCHOOL YEAR
ST. LOUIS (Sept. 15, 2009) – MySci will begin its fifth school year the week of Sept. 21 with visits by Investigation Stations to two elementary schools in St. Louis.
MySci provides K-2 teachers with science curriculum books and classroom kits in the topics of plants, animals and the Earth, and then later visits the schools with an Investigation Station, a roving vehicle of innovative exhibits and specimens, to give students an interactive learning experience.
During the 2009-2010 school year, MySci’s Investigation Stations will visit 53 schools. Of the total, 14 schools are new to MySci.
School districts participating are Jennings, Ferguson-Florissant, Normandy, Pattonville, Ritenour, Riverview Gardens, St. Louis Public, University City and Wellston. In addition, Investigation Stations will visit 12 private schools.
Each of MySci’s two Investigation Stations is equipped with a Missouri woodlands area, a specimen room and a replica of a Missouri limestone cave. The visits are free and serve as the culmination of MySci science lessons implemented by K-2 teachers.
“Demand for MySci continues to rise each year, as evidenced by our growing waiting list for schools interested in our services,” said Ann McMahon, program director of MySci. “We added a second Investigation Station two years ago and going forward we will explore additional ways to expand our reach and capabilities.”
Last year, MySci received a $3 million grant from Monsanto Fund. The funding, to be awarded over three years, is an extension of the $3.7 million Monsanto Fund grant used to found MySci in 2005. All schools in the St. Louis area are eligible for the program. One of MySci’s goals is to improve achievement levels for all students. Therefore, more than two-thirds of MySci’s visits are made to schools with under-achieving student populations.
About MySci
MySci, funded by Monsanto Fund, is a collaborative effort among the following institutions: Washington University in St. Louis, the Saint Louis Science Center, the Missouri Botanical Garden and the Saint Louis Zoo. MySci’s mission is to enhance a sense of wonder and interest in science for children and their teachers. The MySci program gives early elementary students all over St. Louis the chance to study science through inquiry. It provides curriculum books and classroom kits in the topics of plants, animals and the Earth. It also includes a visit from an Investigation Station, a roving vehicle of innovative exhibits and specimens that make learning through climbing, crawling, seeing, hearing and smelling more exciting than ever. MySci is getting an early start on recruiting the next generation of scientists.
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