KEMET Academy: A University Outreach Model for Addressing the Wholeness of Learning in a Rural Context

Year 2011, Volume: 7 Issue: 1, 6 - 27, 01.04.2011

Chippewa M Thomas Cheryl Seals Dorienna M Alfred Lucretia Octavia Tripp Garnetta Laverne Lovett

Abstract

This work introduces a model of university outreach in rural communities which promotes increasing post-secondary options for rural dwelling African American youth. KEMET (Knowledge and Excellence in Mathematics, Equilibrium, and Technology) Academy is a comprehensive academic enrichment program targeting African American students enrolled in under-resourced schools and communities across Alabama’s rural Black Belt region. The group comprised 48 intermediate level students in four counties. Drawing upon professors representing two land grant institutions, KEMET faculty engaged KEMET Scholars in activities designed to enhance skills in reading comprehension and application, mathematics, science, computing, decision-making, as well as health and wellness during a two-week summer program and tri-monthly “Saturday Academies” annually, for over a five year period. Facilitators of the program found it effective in meeting its overall objectives of enhancing the academic and cultural enrichment experiences of rural youth

Keywords

Knowledge, Excellence, Mathematics, University Outreach, Technology

References

• Alabama Department of Public Health (2005). Alabama Obesity Task Force: Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of Overweight and Obesity in Alabama.
• Alabama Department of Public Health (2008). Annual Report. Bureau of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease. Retrieved September 23, 2010 from http://www.adph.org/publications/assets/2008annrpt.pdf
• American Association for the Advancement of Science [AAAS] (1990). Science for all Americans: A project reports on literacy goals, science, mathematics, and technology. Washington D.C.
• Banks J. A. (1998). The lives and values of researchers: Implications for educating citizens in a multicultural society, Educational Researcher, 27, 4-17.
• Banks, J. A. & Banks, C. A. M. (1995). Curriculum Theory and Multicultural Education. (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Multicultural Education, (pp. 484-497), New York: Macmillan. Jackson, PW.
• Bowman, P.J., & Howard, C. (1985). Race related socialization, motivation and academic
• achievement: A study of black youth in three generation families. Journal of the
• American Academy of Child Psychiatry, 24, 134-141.
• Claxton, G. (1989). Cognition Doesn’t Matter if you’re Scared, Depressed, or Bored. In Adey, P., Bliss, J. Head, J., Shayer, M. (Eds), Adolescent Development and School Science. (pp.162-167). New York, NY: Falmer Press.
• Corrigan, P. W., Watson, A. C., Otey, E., Westbrook, A. L., Gardner, A. L., Lamb, T. A., & Fenton, W. S. (2007). How do children stigmatize people with mental illness? Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 37, 1405-1417.
• Crain, G. J., & Dunn, W. L. (2007). Understanding Human Development. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
• Culotta, E. (1993). Scientists of the future: Jumping high hurdles. Science, 258, 1209-1213.
• Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Physical activity for everyone. Retrieved September 23, 2010 from http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/recommendations/young.htm.
• Donnelly, J. W., Eburne, N., & Kittleson M. (2001). Mental Health: Dimensions of Self-esteem and Emotional Well-being. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
• Gibbs, R. M. (2003). Reconsidering the southern black belt. The Review of Regional Studies, 33, 254 - 263.
• Gopaul-McNicol, S., & Thomas-Presswood, T. (1998). Working with Linguistically and Culturally Different Children: Innovative Clinical and Educational Approaches. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
• Gyamfi, P., Keens-Douglas, A., & Medin, E. (2007). Youth and youth coordinators’ perspectives on youth involvement in systems of care. Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, 34, 382-394.
• Head, J. (1989). The Affective Constraints on Learning Science. In Adey, P., Bliss, J. Head, J., Shayer, M. (Eds), Adolescent Development and School Science. (pp. 162-167). New York, NY: Falmer Press.
• Hodgkinson, H. (2003). Leaving too Many Children Behind: A Demographer's View on the Neglect of America's Youngest Children. Washington, DC: The Institute for Educational Leadership.
• McGaha, E., & Kudlowitz, M. (2007). Immigration and Housing in Rural America. Retrieved September 24, 2010 at http://www.ruralhome.org/storage/documents/immigration2007.pdf.
• Hofstein, A., & Lunnetta, V. (1982). The role of the laboratory in science teaching: Neglected aspects of research. Review of Educational Research, 52, 201-17.
• Janesick, V. J. (1999). A journal about journal writing as a qualitative research technique: History, issues and reflections. Qualitative Inquiry, 5(4), 505-524.
• Jones, L., Mullis, S., Raizen, S., Weiss, I., & Weston, E. (1992). The 1990 science report card: NAEP’s assessment of forth, eighth, and twelfth graders. Preston, NJ: Educational Testing Service.
• Jovanovic, J. & King, S. S. (1998). Boys and girls in the performance-based science classroom: Who’s doing the performing? American Educational Research Journal, 35, 477-496.
• Kahle, J., Parker, L., Rennie, L., & Riley, D. (1993). Gender differences in science education: building a model. Educational Psychologist, 28, 379-404.
• Kahle, J., & Meece, J. (1994). Research on Gender Issues in the Classroom. In Gable, D. (Ed.) Handbook of research of science teaching and learning. (pp.542-557). New York, NY: Macmillan.
• Kean, T. H. (1990). Should schools eliminate mandating physical education classes? Yes: exercise students’ minds, not midriffs. School Administrator, 47, 14-20.
• Kochanek, K., Murphy, S., Anderson, R., & Scott, C. (2004, October). Division of Vital Statistics. National Vital Statistics Report, 53 (5). Deaths: Final Data for 2002. RetrievedSeptember 23, 2010 from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr53/nvsr53_05.pdf.
• Ladson-Billings, G. (1996). Silences as weapons: Challenges of a Black professor teaching White students. Theory into Practice, 35, 79-85.
• Lamon, S. J. (1996). The development of unitizing: Its role in children's partitioning strategies. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 27, 170-93.
• Lewis, M. C. (1988). Herstory: Black Female Rights of Passage. Chicago, Illinois: African American Images.
• Lovett, G. (2007). Art Knowledge Survey. National Standards for Arts for Education. Retrieved September 23, 2010 from http://artsedge.kennedycenter.org/teach/standards/introduction.cfm
• Lowell Bennion Community Service Center (2007). My Child Is Reluctant to Read Retrieved September 23, 2010 from http://www.sa.utah.edu/bennion/americareads/PDF/reluctantreader.PDF
• Martin, R., Sexton, C., Franklin T., & Gerlovich, J. (2005). Teaching Science for all Children: Inquiry Methods for Constructing Understanding. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.
• Mertens, D.M. (2009). Transformative research and evaluation. New York: The Guilford Press.
• National Assessment of Educational Progress [NAEP] (2007). Mathematics Framework for the 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress. National Assessment Governing Board. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education
• National Council of Teachers of Mathematics [NCTM] (2000). Principals and Standards for School Mathematics. Retrieved September 23, 2010 from http://standards.nctm.org/document/index.htm
• National Education Goals Panel [NEGP] (1991). The National Education Goals Report: Building a Nation of Learners. Washington, DC: National Education Goals Panel.
• National Research Council [NRC] (1996). National science education standards. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
• Okebukola, P. (1986). Cooperative learning and students’ attitudes to laboratory work. School
• Science and Mathematics, 86, 582-590.
• Parker, V, & Gerber, B. (2000). Effects of a science intervention program on middle-grade student achievement and attitudes. School Science and Mathematics, 700, 236-242.
• Pellegrini, A. D., & Bohn, C. M. (2005). The role of recess in children’s cognitive performance and school adjustment. Educational Researcher, 34, 13-19.
• Phinney, J. S. (1990). Ethnic identity in adolescents and adults: Review of research. Psychological Bulletin, 108, 499-514.
• Reading, R. (2007). Mental health of young people: A global public-health challenge. Child: Care, Health & Development, 33, 647-648.
• Rogers, G., & Hughes-Lee, S. A. (1992). A comparison of perception of the mother-daughter relationship of black pregnant and non-pregnant teenagers. Adolescence, 27, 555-564.
• Seaton, E. E. (2007, June 21). “If teachers are good to you”: Caring for rural girls in the classroom. Journal of Research in Rural Education, 22 (6).
• Simmons, L. A., Huddleston-Casas, C., & Berry, A. A. (2007). Low-Income Rural Women and Depression: Factors Associated with Self-Reporting. American Journal of Health Behavior, 31, 657-666.
• Seaborn-Thompson, M. & Peebles-Wilkins, W. (1992). The impact of formal, informal, and societal support networks on the psychological well-being of Black adolescent mothers. Social Work, 37, 322-328.
• Smith. R., (2002). Research Review Promoting Children’s Emotional Health. United Kingdom: Policy, Research and Influencing Unit.
• Society for Neuroscience [SFN]. (2007). Exercise and the brain. Retrieved September 15, 2007 from http://www.sfn.org/index.cfm?pagename=brainBriefings_exerciseAndTheBrain.
• Steinkamp, M., & Mehr, M. (1983) Affect, ability, and science achievement: A quantitative
• synthesis of correlational research. Review of Educational Research, 53, 369-96.
• Stoner, D (1981). The relationship of psychological and skill factors to science attitude and
• achievement of fifth and tenth grade students. Dissertation Abstracts International.
• The University of Virginia Press (1996). Five African art facts produced by Ruth Twiggs with special guest Shelby Barnett. VHS, ISBN 0917046455.
• U.S. Census Bureau (2004). U.S. Census Bureau State and County Quick Facts. Retrieved September 23, 2010 from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html
• U.S. Census Bureau (2000). U.S. Census Bureau, General information on Census 2000. Retrieved September, 2010 from http://www.census.gov/main/www/cen2000.html
• U.S. Federal Food and Drug Administration (2002). Overweight, Obesity Threaten U.S. Health Gains, FDA Consumer Magazine, 36(2).
• Woods, S., & Wolke D. (2004). Direct and relational bullying among primary school children and academic achievement. Journal of School Psychology, 42, 135-155.
• Yang, R. K, & Fetsch, R. J. (2007, June 15). The self-esteem of rural children. Journal of Research in Rural Education, 22(5).
• Zekeri, A. A., & Habtemariam, T. (2006). African American college students’ perceptions of
• psychosocial factors influencing racial disparities in health. College Student Journal, 40, 901-915.