WAMC: The Best of Our Knowledge # 962 (2009-02-23)

The Best of Our Knowledge

The Best of Our Knowledge # 962

(2009-02-23)

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ALBANY, NY (WAMC) - EXPLORAVISION CONTEST AND STEM/A SIGN OF THE TIMES -

In his inaugural address, President Barack Obama stated that "we will restore science to its rightful place and wield technology's wonders." Underlying goals are obvious. To help the U.S. become more competitive in the global marketplace, and to help stimulate the U.S. economy.

So TBOOK thought it would try to find out why it's been difficult to get more students into the sciences. How can teachers and parents work together to motivate children into science? How can we spark students' interest in important "green" issues, and teach them to look to science and technology to help find solutions?

Some examples. This month was the 8th year that Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day was held. It's become an annual way to connect girls with mentors and role models in engineering and bring more gender equity to a field where only 20% of engineering undergraduates are women.

Also underway right now is the 17th annual Toshiba/National Science Teachers Association Exploravision Awards. These are billed as the world's largest K thru 12 science competition.

Exploravison is designed for students of all interest, skill, and ability levels. All inventions and innovations result from creative thinking and problem solving, and since 1992, over 250-thousand students have competed. The mission is to begin a lifelong adventure in science as students develop higher-order thinking skills, and imagine their role in the future.

To help us talk about the importance of science is a real veteran in this field. She's been involved with the Exploravision contest for ten years and has an extensive list of credentials.

Suzanne Kantra was Technology Editor at Popular Science for a decade. She's also the former Technology Editor of Martha Stewart Living. Past host of Living with Technology on Sirius satellite radio. And this year, Kantra launches her own new technology website for women. Listeners have probably seen her as she's been on all the major networks and talk shows.

Glenn Busby reports. (10:50)

**(Attention Listeners and Program Directors. The website mentioned at the conclusion of the above story for people interested in learning more about the Exploravision contest is: www.exploravision.org.)**

BLACK HISTORY MONTH SPECIAL RECOGNITION
DR. JAMES P. COMER, AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY EDUCATOR -

President Obama has always spoken of his past experiences as a community organizer. And he is of course a strong advocate for getting the highest quality teachers targeted towards poor, inner-city schools and neighborhoods. We found an African American educator who has been doing just that for 40-years.

Dr. James P. Comer is the Maurice Falk Professor of Child Psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine's Child Study Center in New Haven, Connecticut.

He's known for his creation of the Comer Process, a system of education focused on child development in inner-city schools. His School Development Program has been used in more than 600 schools in 82 school districts across 26 states.

The Comer School Development Program promotes the collaboration of parents, educators and community resources to improve social, emotional and academic outcomes for children - to help them be successful in school.

Dr. Comer has received 46 honorary degrees, including one last year from Harvard. He's a prolific writer, authoring ten books including "Leave No Child Behind." And he's written a fascinating chapter titled, "From There To Here" in the new book called, "Those Who Dared: Five Visionaries Who Changed American Education." The book is from Teachers College Press. It's edited by our guest, Carl Glickman, President of the Institute for Schools, Education, and Democracy."

Glenn Busby reports. (7:34)

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