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Houston PREP 2001
University of Houston-Downtown
Abstract
Richard A. Aló The thirteenth year of the Houston Pre-Freshmen
Enrichment Program (PREP) was conducted during Summer 2001. A
Pre-College Award for Excellence in Mathematics, Science, Engineering
and Technology was awarded to the Center for Computational Sciences and
Advanced Distributed Simulation (CCSDS) in 1998 for its Pre-College
Programs (Houston PREP and Saturday Academy Programs).
The $300,000 grant by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) Headquarters in Washington, D.C. has been awarded over a
three-year period. Its purpose is to enhance the program by:
- Extending the curriculum from three years to four years
- Developing basic Science curriculum throughout the four year
program
- Establishing additional sites
PREP was hosted by CCSDS at the campus of the University of
Houston-Downtown from June 11 to July 27, 2001. Program participants
were recruited from the Greater Houston Area. All participants were
identified as high-achieving students with an interest in learning about
the engineering and science professions. The goal of the program was to
better prepare our pre-college youth prior to entering college as
mathematics, science and engineering majors.
The program staff composed of college faculty members and high school
teachers (fifteen of the 21 teachers were minority or women). In
addition to providing bus transportation, Aldine, Houston, and Galena
Park Independent School Districts provided teachers to instruct PREP
classes. Ten of twelve undergraduate students, who served as Program
Assistants, were from minority groups or women.
Houston PREP had accepted 319 students for this summer's program. More
than 90% were from economically and socially disadvantaged groups
under-represented in the engineering and science professions.
The program participants were middle school and high school students
from the Aldine, Alief, Clear Creek, Cypress-Fairbanks, Fort Bend,
Galena Park, Houston, Katy, Klein, North Forest, Out of Town, Pasadena,
Private, Spring, and Spring Branch Independent School Districts.
88.05% of the 251 students, who completed the program, were from
economically and socially disadvantaged groups underrepresented in the
engineering and science professions.
Investigative and discovery learning were key elements of PREP. The
academic components of the program included: Engineering, Computer
Science, Introduction to Calculus, Introduction to Physics, Linear
Algebra, Earth Science, Logic, Problem Solving, SAT Preparatory
Seminars, Statistics and Technical Writing, Public Speaking, Biology.
With financial support from CCSDS, the Fourth Year Program has been
added to PREP since 1997. Coursework involved Biology, Calculus,
Computer Science and Physics.
Engineers, scientists, mathematicians, and other professionals from
private industry, government agencies and various universities discussed
career opportunities and social problems with the program participants.
This year’s program also included an Engineering Fair held on July 11,
2001. Various Engineering companies were represented at this special
event.
Houston PREP held its 1st Annual NASA Day at the University of
Houston-Downtown on July 19, 2001. This day was filled with students’
presentations based on research on the solar system. NASA day also
included a hall with students’ poster presentations.
Substantial in-kind manpower and financial operational support for this
year’s program consisted of: Advanced Distributed Simulation Research
Consortium; Aldine Independent School District; Center for Computational
Sciences and Advanced Distributed Simulation; Galena Park Independent
School District; Houston Independent School District; Houston Works;
National Science Foundation, Computer and Information Science and
Engineering Directorate; NASA Headquarters - Washington, D.C.; NASA
Johnson Space Center – Houston; National Computational Science Alliance
- Education, Outreach, & Training; Sandra Organ Dance Company (SODC);
State of Texas Legislature; Texas Department of Human Services Summer
Food Service Program; Texas Department of Transportation; United Way of
the Texas Gulf Coast/Enron Corporation; U.S. Army Research Office,
Department of Defense; and University of Houston – Downtown.
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