The National Science Foundation has recently awarded a $9.8 million grant to Buffalo Public Schools in the hopes of promoting student interest in the sciences. The grant will fund a five year program in which teachers from 12 different elementary and high schools will have the opportunity to research alongside scientists.
The program, titled the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Partnership, will be led by the University of Buffalo, Buffalo State College and the Buffalo Museum of Science. Of the 12 schools involved, two are from the West Side community, the Native American Magnet and Hutch-Tech High School.
According to Joseph Gardella, a professor at the University of Buffalo and the project lead, the program launched in 2005 at the Native American Magnet school and has already made leeway in getting students interested in their education. Students in the ISEP classroom were 30% more likely to achieve proficiency on the eighth-grade New York State science exam.
“The Native American Magnet has been in this program for seven years,” said Gardella, “and we have already seen substantial results.” By Samantha Murphy and Desiree Wiley
