Friday, October 02, 2009
National Grid Foundation and BELL Inspire Boston's Future Scientists in the BELL Summer Program
BOSTON, Oct 02, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- BELL® (Building Educated Leaders for Life®), a leader in summer learning and afterschool programs, and National Grid Foundation have partnered to create a new science enrichment program as part of the nationally recognized BELL Summer program. Implemented this summer, the unique program of science explorations and experiments helped spark the imagination of some of Boston's future scientists.
Each year, BELL serves more than 11,000 "scholars" in its summer and afterschool summer programs in five states. The BELL Summer program provides rigorous academics and assessment; mentoring and enrichment activities that are scientifically proven to help scholars develop literacy and math skills at faster rate than their classmates. In 2009, scholars gained an average of approximately six months of reading and math skills during the intensive five-week program.
BELL Summer provides scholars three hours of tutoring in literacy and math Monday through Thursday, with Fridays typically including an off-site enrichment activity or field trip. With National Grid Foundation support, approximately 160 Boston-area scholars participated in a pilot program to incorporate one hour of science activities Monday through Thursday.
Exposing children to science-related activities early in life is critical to fostering their interest, comfort and competencies in these fields. Far too often, students from under-resourced communities have limited access to quality science enrichment as compared to students in more affluent communities.
"The new science curriculum made possible in part by National Grid Foundation has opened a new world of opportunities for our scholars," said Brenda Brathwaite, Boston Regional Director for BELL. "The enriching experience of BELL's new science program has helped our scholars to envision themselves as future scientists, engineers and mathematicians, and has inspired them to set ambitious goals in life and to reach their full potential."
BELL's science curriculum features the Sunflower and AXIS programs, which promote activity-based learning through a variety of group investigations and experiments in science and environmental education. Both programs were created by the Intercultural Center for Research and Education, a non-profit research organization, to specifically address the continuing under-representation of minority youth in mathematics and science courses and careers. Developed in 1994 under a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the curriculum and the instructional approach of Sunflower and AXIS are fully aligned with the National Science Education Standards (NSES).
"Partnering with BELL this summer represented an ideal Foundation-nonprofit partnership; one that moves children in Boston toward academic proficiency and develops children's love for the sciences," said Robert Keller, Executive Director of the National Grid Foundation.
For more information about how to enroll your child in the BELL Afterschool or Summer programs, please visit www.bellnational.org or call 800-305-0671.
Click here to see all recent news from BELL.
About National Grid Foundation:
The National Grid Foundation was created to enhance the quality of life in areas where National Grid provides services. The Foundation's ongoing challenge is to create opportunities for solutions to educational and environmental issues. Its objective is based on the principle that giving people the tolls to build hope is an essential ingredient in the development of individuals, families and communities. Since its inception in December of 1998, the Foundation has provided nearly $15 million in grants to hundreds of organizations.
About BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life):
BELL, founded in 1992, is one of the nation's leading providers of quality afterschool and summer learning programs. It is committed to enhancing the educational achievements, self-esteem and life opportunities of children living in under-resourced communities. BELL serves more than 11,000 children annually in schools throughout Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Detroit, Flint (Mich.), New York City and Saginaw (Mich.). Please visit www.bellnational.org for more information.
SOURCE: BELL
Haselton Group for BELL
Collin Earnst, 617-933-9011
collin_earnst@haseltongroup.com
or
National Grid for National Grid Foundation
Amy Zorich, 781-907-2224
Amy.Zorich@us.ngrid.com