BCOE STEM/Outdoor Education Academy
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The Butte County Office of Education (BCOE) STEM/Outdoor Education Academy serves Migrant education students from the BCOE Migrant Education Region 2 area (Oroville, Santa Rosa, & Woodland). Students are referred to the program based on specific academic criteria from BCOE. The academy serves rising 7th - rising 10th graders and is a two week residential program. Students stay on the University of the Pacific Campus in residence halls. The academy provides an in-depth, intensive Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) academy. The program builds a community around the awareness of STEM in our daily lives and the importance of STEM careers through the incorporation of, local guest speakers, & field trips.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Academy classes are taught by local credentialed teachers. Teaching assistants are through California Mini Corps. Several instructional strategies are incorporated including problem solving, abstract reasoning, project based learning, career opportunity awareness, research and study, teamwork, oral and written communication , team projects, class presentations, and examinations. Additionally, this academy offers an outdoor education component delivered through the BCOE Migrant Education and the California Mini Corps. Students are in STEM classes Monday - Friday from 8:00 - 3:00. Then from 3:15 - 10:00p.m. the California Mini Corp team takes over, extending the classroom STEM activities and engaging students in outdoor education. The academy incorporates a combination of two curricula: 1) GEMS (Great Explorations in Math and Science) is a leading resource for innovative science and mathematics education developed by the Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California, Berkeley; 2) PREP USA STEM, a pre-engineering curriculum, modeled after the very successful TexPREP programs in Texas and the San Antonio PREP programs.
PROGRAM GOALS
The BCOE academy is designed to increase students' academic achievement and decrease "summer learning loss."
PROGRAM PARTNERS
The Academy is administered in a collaborative partnership between Pacific's Benerd College, the Butte County Office of Education, Migrant Education Region 2 and CA Mini-Corps.
