MAKE-it part of Scholastic feature on Redesigning STEM Fort Recovery holds teacher inservice Clouse offers expertise to MAKE-it steering committee

About MAKE-it

Fort Recovery, New Bremen, and St. Henry are all rural school districts (less than/approximately 1000 students each) that have consistently achieved Ohio’s Excellent School status.  Although the per capita income is relatively low, family and community support for education is strong in this Mercer/Auglaize County Consortium. Businesses, industries and universities readily serve on advisory boards and provide meaningful involvement and support.

The Grant
Consortium members including business, community and higher education representatives, spent weeks (December, 2007 and January, 2008) preparing the MAKE-it grant proposal submitted to the  STEM Subcommittee of the Ohio Partnership for Continued Learning.  This MAKE-it  proposal was one of three grants funded at the top level of $546,000. Local school, business, community and higher education funds, time, materials, resources, expertise, and equipment leverage the grant funds for ultimate impact.

MAKE-it – An Overview
MAKE-it is a middle school initiative.  According to the National Middle School Association, students between the ages of 10 and 15 are making critical and complex life choices every day.  “They are forming the attitudes, values and habits of mind that will largely direct their behavior as adults.”  Through MAKE-it, the consortium schools are addressing critical workforce skills issues. 

MAKE-it:

> Implements personalized inquiry/activity-based science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

> Provides an environment where students learn effective strategies for working in teams and for successful problem solving. 

> Increases student and staff awareness of career-related opportunities, especially in the STEM areas.

> Expands/leverages the high school program of excellence, Project Lead The Way.

Through MAKE-it, teachers have/are/will change the way they teach, and students have/are/will change the way they learn.  In the end, students will graduate ready to achieve successfully in the “flat world” of the twenty-first century.  What could be more important for students, communities, and the country?

 The Specific Goals of the STEM Program of Excellence – MAKE-it

1. Students will receive instruction that is diverse, rigorous, based on technological design, and utilize engineering approaches to problem solving.
2. Student will receive instruction that is inquiry-based and aligned to content standards.
3. Students will learn in a personalized academic environment.
4. Students will internalize solid team skills.

Educators will receive the staff development, resources and support necessary to insure student achievement
of these goals.

Click here to see the MAKE-it Program Overview.