Cranbrook gets $150K grant to promote science education

Published: Thursday, January 17, 2013

Click to enlarge

BLOOMFIELD HILLS — Transforming science learning and strengthening academic performance among middle school students within Detroit Public Schools is the focus of a partnership launched with the support of a one-year, $150,000 grant from the Bosch Community Fund to the Cranbrook Educational Community.

Cranbrook, Detroit Public Schools and the Bosch Community Fund celebrated this partnership during a check presentation and school visit at Cranbrook Institute of Science.

Cranbrook Institute of Science and Detroit Public Schools will use the grant from the Bosch Community Fund to offer students, families and faculty in-depth, hands-on exposure to science and technology with an emphasis on the mastery of core science concepts and heightened student achievement.

Nearly 160 Detroit Public Schools students and 20 parents visited the Bat Zone and viewed an exhibit showcasing hatching baby salmon at the event on Tuesday.

Maximiliane Straub, chief financial officer and executive vice president of Finance, Controlling and Administration for Robert Bosch LLC and vice president of the Bosch Community Fund; Roy Roberts, Emergency Financial Manager, Detroit Public Schools; and Dr. Michael Stafford, Director, Cranbrook Institute of Science, attended the event.

The collaboration offers nearly 1,000 students in Detroit Public Schools free, private field trips to the nationally regarded Institute of Science located in Bloomfield Hills.

It also will provide professional development opportunities for up to 150 Detroit Public Schools teachers and free Institute memberships and special events to the families of participating students. And, next summer 30 students will have the opportunity to spend a week at a science day camp at the Cranbrook Institute.

“Bosch is proud to work with the Cranbrook Institute of Science and Detroit Public Schools so that students who are enrolled in Detroit Public Schools — and their families and teachers — can foster their love of math, science, engineering and other technical areas at the Cranbrook Institute of Science,” Straub said. “As we continue to grow our business, Bosch seeks to hire associates who excel in these important disciplines. In addition, instilling a strong knowledge base in these areas helps create meaningful jobs that strengthen the U.S. economy.”

“When we announced this partnership in January,” Roberts said, “the enthusiasm districtwide was outstanding due to the impact that such an unprecedented collaboration with the Cranbrook Institute of Science could have on the learning experience of our students, particularly in the globally competitive fields of science and technology. Seeing this vision come to fruition — and now be expanded through grant funding from the Bosch Community Fund — confirms the positive outcome of community organizations forging a partnership to help students excel. Not only are our students, parents and educators being afforded a personalized learning and development experience, they are being exposed to educational growth outside of the classroom, thanks to the critical resources this partnership is providing.”

Experiences for Detroit Public Schools students will focus on direct contact with Institute collections (considered among the country’s finest private collections and boasting more than 150,000 objects and specimens), opportunities for personal contact with Institute scientists and educators, and core science education based on State of Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations. Busing and meals for all participating students are included and a significant series of evaluation tools will be used to measure the impact and outcome of the partnership.

“This dynamic project with Detroit Public Schools continues the Institute’s commitment to serving Detroit’s urban students, their faculty and their families,” said Stafford. “Detroit’s students deserve rich opportunities to explore and become inspired by the increasingly scientific world around them. We are absolutely delighted to have Detroit Public Schools as a meaningful partner. I am especially grateful to the Bosch Community Fund for helping make this collaboration come to life.”