GREATER ALABAMA BLACK BELT REGION (GABBR) STEM ALLIANCE
Overview
GABBR STEM Alliance, housed in the SPARK STEM Institute, was launched in the Fall 2017 as a mechanism for the institutionalization of the National Science Foundation (NSF) GABBR Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP). The goals of the Alliance are to (1) increase the quantity and quality of GABBR students STEM degrees, (2) increase the quantity and quality of GABBR students entering graduate school, and (3) investigate and disseminate the GABBR STEM Alliance model’s impact on recruitment, retention, success and graduation of target students from a social science research perspective. Participating students receive benefits such as scholarships, peer mentoring, free tutoring, research internships, travel to research conferences, summer bridge, summer and Saturday academies, study abroad programs, mathematics enrichment initiatives, and several academic workshops.
The GABBR STEM Alliance is made up of GABBR institutions and school districts, national labs, foundations, government, industry, and the community.
Purpose
GABBR STEM Alliance supports programs and activities designed to increase college readiness and academic achievement in the Greater Alabama Black Belt Region (GABBR) and beyond. These programs include the Mentoring Bridge Model, conferences and graduate fairs, 5-week non-residential Summer STEM Academies (Grades 7-10) held at a High School, residential 1-week Summer STEM Academy (Grade 11) and 3-4 week Summer Bridge (incoming freshmen) held on campus or virtually, academic year mentoring and tutoring, ACT prep, academic hands-on enrichment activities, field trips, Community STEM Festivals and Events focusing on engaging parents and the community.
The in-person five-week STEM Summer Academy was implemented at Bullock County High School in Union Springs, Alabama in 2018 and 2019. In 2020 and 2021, virtual academies were held for students from Bullock, Macon, Montgomery, and Elmore Counties due to the pandemic. For 2022-2024, the program returned to an in-person format and academies were held in Bullock, Conecuh, and Montgomery Counties. Classes for the Academy are held from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon, Monday through Thursday. In addition to classroom work, students have participated in hands-on learning activities, virtual NASA simulations, and traveled for field trips to Franklin Field Airport in Union Springs, Southern Power Plant Franklin in Smiths Station, the US Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, and the Southern Company Aerial Services facility in Birmingham. A graduation ceremony for the students is held at the conclusion of each academy. The goal of the program is to increase college and career readiness among students by expanding their content knowledge in core subject areas (mathematics, science, and English) and mentoring, allowing them to progress along a path toward college/ university admission and successful studies in STEM.
Examples of the Impact of the STEM Summer Academy
In 2019, the overall mean of the average scores of pre- and post-tests improved by 21 points, from 48% to 69%. Except for 9th-10th grade mathematics and 6-7th grade English courses, students on average improved by at least one letter grade. In the 2020 Virtual Summer Academy, the overall mean of the average scores improved by 23 points, from 56% to 79%. Students significantly raised their scores in all grade levels and subjects, with the biggest gains coming in the older grade levels mathematics and science courses. In each of the 9th and 10th grade mathematics and science courses, scores improved on average by at least 30 points. In 2021, the overall mean of average scores improved by 21 points, from 53% to 74%. Math and science again saw the largest gains with math scores improving overall by 32 points (55% to 87%) and science scores improving by 16 points (46% to 62%). In 2022, the overall mean of the average scores improved by 43 points, from 44% to 87%. Science scores increased from 50% to 86%, and math scores increased from 39% to 72%.
LSAMP IMPACT
See the highlights of outcomes and impact of the NSF LSAMP in the The Innovators and Trailblazers Magazine. This is just the beginning.