Middle Schoolers to Visit Geology Museum for Rutgerscience Saturday program

New Brunswick and Trenton middle schoolers gain pre-college enrichment in science

The Rutgers Geology Museum will be transformed on April 10 into a living laboratory for scores of middle school youth drawn mostly from Trenton and New Brunswick who will join Rutgers faculty members to learn about science and explore research in a series of interactive activities, and gain a better understanding of opportunities available in science, engineering and technology.

Part of the ongoing Rutgerscience Saturday program launched by Rutgers 4-H Department of Youth Development, the middle school students will work with university scientists in hands-on lessons and demonstrations involving exploring the fundamentals of geology, how we apply our knowledge of geology to drill for oil, and the paleontological history of the Earth and the human species. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the museum, located on the Rutgers Old Queens Campus, 85 Somerset Street, New Brunswick, NJ.

"We’re really excited to work with our urban youth in this science, engineering, and technology (SET) 4-H program. The Rising Above the Gathering Storm report, produced by the National Academies in 2006, highlighted the shortage of highly qualified educators and mentors who can translate and teach science, engineering, technology, and math content and skills. 4-H is doing its part to prepare and empower our youth to get involved in a career in science," said Janice McDonnell, 4-H SET agent and coordinator of the Rutgerscience Saturday events.

Alyson Busse, program coordinator of the Math and Science Learning Center at the Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences and faculty members from the geoscience discipline will host the students in grades six through nine, and provide them with an exciting and enriching pre-college experience. These middle school youth, most of whom will be enjoying their first 4-H experience, will participate in several hands-on activities as they explore geology and paleontology alongside a number of Rutgers faculty members.

According to the Executive Director of the Lazos America Unida organization, Teresa Vivar, who has partnered with Rutgers 4-H of Middlesex County to begin several 4-H clubs in New Brunswick that seek to develop youth as community leaders, this Rutgerscience Saturday event is a welcome program for the youths in the Mexican community in New Brunswick. "The students are very excited about the opportunity to spend time with Rutgers scientists, touring the museum and learning about Rutgers research. The opportunity to meet and work with university scientists is a very important interaction for our young people at this time in their lives and as they begin to think about college and where they want to be in a few years," said Vivar.

The Rutgers 4-H Department of Youth Development launched the Rutgerscience Saturday event on March 13 in an effort to spur young people’s interest in science, technology, engineering and math, and to expose them to the roots and global reach of Rutgers cutting edge science.

A 2007 report from the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges identifies science, engineering, technology and math for youth as a growth area. National 4-H later unveiled SET as a critical part of its mandate and Rutgers Cooperative Extension has embarked on a number of initiatives, including launching the Rutgerscience Saturday series to create interest and competency in these areas.

More information on the program can be found on the 4-H SET website at http://4hset.rutgers.edu.

Media Contact: Janice McDonnell
732-932-6555, ext.521
E-mail: mcdonnel@marine.rutgers.edu