Farewell to ESTEEM
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Enhancing Science and Technology Education and Exploration Mentoring (ESTEEM) was an NSF-funded project (0422703) developed through a partnership between UMBC's Center for Women and Information Technology and the Shriver Center, and the California-based Chabot Space and Science Center. The program included after-school, weekend, and summer camp components and served over 300 7th and 8th grade students in three years. Each student received over 120 hours of contact from UMBC undergraduate and graduate students who serve as both role models and classroom consultants in the program. ESTEEM focused on building up girls’ (and boys’) interest in math, science, and technology with a special focus on Information Technology (IT). This motivated the students to take technology-related classes in the future, and encouraged them to consider careers in IT or engineering fields.

ESTEEM supported current state and national initiatives that serve to develop more diverse elective technology classes, programs, and the workforce. Further, ESTEEM gave students, particularly girls, the encouragement, confidence, and skills they need to do well in rigorous mathematics, science, engineering and IT courses while they are in school. The ESTEEM program also provided the knowledge and skills the students can use in other courses.

Benefits to participating in the ESTEEM program included the following:

• Enhanced understanding of science and information technology (IT) concepts and applications in future learning and career options;
• Awareness of the possibility of college as a viable life option through interactions with positive role models;
• Continued support among parents and students to ensure students feel fully supported;

For the 2006-07 school year, six middle schools, in two counties, participated in ESTEEM. Participating schools located in Anne Arundel County include Brooklyn Park Middle School, Corkran Middle School, and Old Mill Middle North. Participating schools located in Baltimore County include Catonsville Middle School, Deep Creek Middle School, and Dundalk Middle School.

Middle School Student Involvement

The ESTEEM program was a wonderful opportunity for the students that participated. With the ESTEEM program, they were able to interact with students that share the same interests. They became critical thinkers and most importantly, they had fun while learning and experimenting with science and technology. Field trips helped the students make the connection between the lessons taught in the after school sessions and their real life applications.

Parents play an important role in the development of their child’s career interests. For that reason, ESTEEM made every effort to involve parents in this program. In addition to encouraging their children to participate and transporting them, parents must also reinforce at home the educational messages that students learn in the program: 1) they can do anything, 2) technology literacy is important for everyone's future, 3) technology education is a great career path for high income jobs, and 4) taking the right academic steps now can help students achieve their goals.

While teacher education was not a component of this program, it was important to cultivate and support teachers willing to commit to long-term participation in support of this project to ensure programs' sustainability. It is not necessary for teachers to know a lot about technology, but must be open and excited to learn. By working with the UMBC Graduate Students, the teachers learned about technology applications along with the students while helping the technical advisor for the project, graduate student, and undergraduate students understand how to work with middle school students.

UMBC Student Involvement

UMBC students were involved with ESTEEM in two ways. First, graduate students helped to develop curriculum, supervise and mentor undergraduates; worked collaboratively with teachers and parents; and developed their own teaching skills as UMBC Graduate Students. Undergraduates also had an important role working with teachers and parents to provide a fun and educational experience for secondary school students. All involved UMBC students were enrolled in a technology-related (STEM) major and shared a rewarding experience by working with middle school students.

Learn More About ESTEEM

• Feel free to view Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3, and Volume 4 of our ESTEEM Newsletter Series.
• See a Sample Curriculum.
• View the brochure!

The material on this website is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under the Grant No. 0422703. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of ESTEEM and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.