Abstract
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Up to Reports | 1997 Report | Acknowledgement | Abstract | Description (detailed)

The 1997 Houston Pre-Freshman Enrichment Program (PREP) was conducted at the campus of the University of Houston-Downtown from June 9 to July 25, 1997. 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 participants were middle school and high school students from the Aldine, Alief, Channel View, Clear Creek, Cypress-Fairbanks, Fort Bend, Galena Park, Houston, Humble, Katy, Klein, North Forest, Pasadena, Private, and Spring Branch Independent School Districts.

Of the 194 students starting the program, 165 students were from economically and socially disadvantage groups under-represented in the engineering and science professions, and 118 of the 194 were women.

Our First Year group for 1997 composed of 96% minority and women students. Second and Third Year students combined were 96% minority or women.

With financial support from the Center for Computational Sciences and Advanced Distributed Simulation, the Fourth Year Program was added to PREP this year. Twelve students completed the program (83% minority or women). The students worked with Silicon Graphic computers in the Advanced Distributed Simulation Research Computer Lab for their Computer Science course. Additional course work was in Biology, Calculus, and Physics.

Investigative and discovery learning were key elements of PREP. The academic components of the program included Algebraic Structures, Engineering, Introduction to Computer Science, Introduction to Physics, Logic, and Its Application to Mathematics, Probability and Statistics, Problem Solving Seminar using computers and PLATO software, SAT Preparatory Seminars, and Technical Writing.

After a two-week training on how to integrate the use of the Internet in classroom curriculum, seven teachers from George I. Sanchez High School interned with PREP participants for four weeks. This internship was made possible by a State of Texas Telecommunication Infrastructure Grant awarded to Sanchez High School. PREP students were exposed to the Internet in most subjects, and some classes developed their own web pages.

The Texas Space Grant Consortium and NASA, through the Urban Education Department at UHD, provided seventeen high school teachers to intern for a week in Houston PREP. The necessary materials were also provided allowing all First and Second Year PREP students to build model rockets and other space science activities.

Engineers, scientists, mathematicians, and other professionals from private industry and various universities discussed career opportunities and social problems with the program participants.

The program staff composed of college faculty members and High School teachers (Seven of the ten teachers were minority or women). This year, Houston, Aldine, and Galena Park Independent School Districts provided teachers to teach in PREP. Nine UHD students, who were from minority groups or women, served as Program Assistants.

For the second year, we are happy to accept the support of the Advanced Distributed Simulation Research Consortium (ADSRC) through the efforts of the Center for Computational Science and Advanced Distributed Simulation at the University of Houston-Downtown (UHD). The consortium, a unit of the U.S. Army Research Office consists of UHD, Grambling State University, Florida A&M University, and the University of Central Florida.

Substantial in-kind manpower and financial operational support for this year’s summer program came from: Advanced Distributed Simulation Research Consortium, a unit of the U.S. Army Research Office, Department of Defense; Aldine Independent School District; Bread Ministry - Houston; Center for Computational Science and Advanced Distributed Simulation; Galena Park Independent School District; Houston Independent School District; National Science Foundation, Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate; NASA Headquarters - Washington, D.C.; State of Texas Legislature; State of Texas Coordinating Board of Higher Education; Texas Department of Human Services Summer Food Service Program; and University of Houston-Downtown.