My name is K. W. Nicholson I teach math and physics at CACC Brief Resume

Tehran, Iran 1967

Sydney, Australia

Began attending TYC meetings 1993

Marie Plum & John Taylor Gatto 1998

Next few years watching 3 rd graders & Science Teamers

Idea: What if we taught Football like we teach physics?

STEM Camp Recruitment Observed ridicule of students interested in STEM first hand.

Also watched STEM Campers react to Lego competitions.

CACC Physics Department Road Show Part I The Education Problem

Natl Bureau of Labor, 1996: America needs to produce 750,000 engineers by We only produced 440,000. Source: ASE The number of people majoring in engineering dropped 15% even though college enrollment increased by 15% during that period. China produced 450,000 engineers in 2006 alone. Source: USA Today News

Excerpts from "Clueless In America" by Bob Herbert, New, York Times April 22, 2008

'We have one of the highest dropout rates in the industrialized world' - Allan Golston Many students get a first-rate education in the public schools, but they represent too small a fraction of the whole to save us all from disaster. - Allan Golston

When I compare our high schools with what I see when Im traveling abroad, I am terrified for our work force of tomorrow. By obsolete, I dont just mean that they are broken, flawed or under funded. By obsolete, I mean our high schools even when theyre working as designed cannot teach all our students what they need to know today. - Bill Gates

Male students make up 82% of that 40%.

Adults who don't finish high school in the U.S. earn 65 percent of what people who have high school degrees make, according to a new report comparing industrialized nations. No other country had such a severe income gap.

So, Im no economist but, it seems to me that: If the number of dropouts is increasing, Then average income is decreasing, Which means people have less money to spend, Which is bad for business in general.

So, enough about the problems, whats my plan to do something about it? Im glad you asked. Heres The Plan What? Build a Science Team Why ? To duplicate the methods used in sports. How? Provide stipends for science team members.

CACC Physics Department Road Show Part VI Science Teamers

Target Audience for This Proposal Dadeville elementary Stephens elementary Horseshoe bend k12 Central elementary coosa county Reeltown k12

What we need We need a four person team for each school. So we need 20 Science Team members.

The idea is to teach math & science like we teach football.

The Science Team will: Do science activities with 2 third grade classes Coach "mini lego league" for grades in spring Coach real First Lego League (FLL) team for grades for state competition for six weeks in fall. Organize a First Tech Competition (FTC) team for grades 7-9 and perhaps even a FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) or a BEST team for grades

How much will it cost? Third Grade Science Team activities - Free. Mini Lego League - Nearly Free Cost will be a major factor for First Tech competition, (FTC) and FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC). Here are the costs in round figures, which include robot kits and registration fees, with some added for miscellaneous costs.

"mini lego league a lego mindstorm kit and a computer, both of which I am prepared to provide for free. Cost of a Mindstorm Robotics kit is $275 FLL - $500 FTC - $1500 FRC - $ $10000, plus, a professional engineer as a mentor is required, deep pocket sponsors also highly recommended. Might get some sort of grant to support this.

How much should we pay Science Team members? $1000 each semester These scholarships can be used to buy tuition or anything needed from the bookstore. These scholarships will be awarded in conjunction with any other scholarships students have obtained. Dual enrollment students should be eligible for these scholarships

Why do I believe the Robot competitions are the correct mechanism for this objective? From personal observations of the STEM camp lego competitions and the following:

What Can A First Lego League Do For Our Young People? (FIRST Robotics Competition is the high school version of FIRST LEGO LEAGUE)

2005 independent study by Brandeis University, funded by the Ford Foundation » FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) alumni who graduated between 1999 and 2003 » Teams from metropolitan areas, including schools serving low-income, inner-city populations » Diverse group, including substantial numbers of minorities (56%) and women (41%),and students from families with limited educational background

Compared to a group of students with similar backgrounds and achievement in high-school math and science,

FIRST alumni are: » Significantly more likely to attend college » Twice as likely to major in science and engineering » 10 times as likely to have had an apprenticeship, internship, or co-op job in their college freshman year » More than twice as likely to expect to have a science or technology-related career after college

Case Histories: »Just 5 years ago, East Tech, an urban high school located in the center of Clevelands most impoverished housing project was slated for closing. What FIRST opened up for these students can be seen in their achievements.We've become the science/engineering magnet school for all the district. More students try out for the FIRST team than for football and basketball combined.

12 students, including 5 females, representing the first class to experience four years in FIRST, all from inner city neighborhoods, all received scholarships and went on to the following schools: Case Western Reserve; Cornell; MIT; University of Dayton; Cleveland State; Air Force Academy; Ohio State; Allegheny College; Mount Union College; Georgetown. Mr. Jerome Seppelt FIRST Program Manager, East Technical High School, Cleveland,OH

» At Chatsworth High School in inner city Los Angeles, where 60% of students graduate and less than half go on to college, every FIRST participant graduated on time, attended college and many enrolled in Honors and Advanced Placement courses » At Joseph C.Wilson High in inner city Rochester, NY, every FIRST team member has graduated. Graduates have attended Cornell, Harvard, Penn State, Rensselear Polytechnical Institute, Rochester Institute of Technology, Stanford, SUNY and Tufts

» At Pennsylvanias William Penn High School, about 17% of students drop out, 50% do not attend college. Every FIRST participant has graduated and gone on to college or technical school. The team received more than $250,000 in scholarships » Only one partnership has caused a fundamental change in both our institution and the young people it serves. FIRST has inspired and revitalized the Wilson teachers.The effect on our young people has been a profound one. Never in my long experience as a high school principal have students been so totally absorbed in a project. Suzanne Johnston Principal, Joseph C.Wilson Magnet High School, Rochester, NY

The Science Team Proposal The Science Team Proposal 2009 version The Governors Address Governor Bob Riley State Capitol Montgomery, Al Chancellor Freida Hill P.O. Box Montgomery, AL State Superintendent of Education Joseph B. Morton Ph.D. P.O. Box Montgomery, AL

CACC Physics Department Road Show Part II Stem Campers

The Science Team Proposals 2010 & 2011 versions are located on the webpage for this workshop, and also at: Under the link Science Team Proposals

Last Spring – Introduced Lego Robots to 24 kids at Radney Elementary. Last Fall- Took 4- six person teams to FLL qualifier in Birmingham, and a 10-person to the Alabama State Championship.

This Spring Held a one day workshop for teachers from Dadeville, Horseshoe Bend, Radney and Stephens elementary schools. We had 2 person teams for the training phase. Weve divided up into 4 person teams for the competition phase. 7 teams at Stephens Mon & Wed 4 teams at HSB Tuesday 4 teams at Radney Tuesday & Thursday 18 person team at Dadeville Monday & Tuesday

We are hosting our Spring Training Competition at CACC on March 10 from 7:30 AM til 3 PM Yall Come Watch!

This Stuff really works. Need Help!