STEM Initiative
Only 3-7% of students of color in Silicon Valley pursue careers in STEM related fields. Only 64 percent of Hispanic teens owned a computer in 2012, compared to 81 percent of white teens. With only limited resources, East Palo Alto Charter School and East Palo Alto Phoenix Academy are offering technology and science related courses that allow students to practice computer and technology skills necessary for college within our classrooms.
Current Program: East Palo Alto Charter School and East Palo Alto Phoenix Academy offers a diverse STEM curriculum in our school, including physics, biology, chemistry, environmental science, a middle school computer science elective, and K-6 grade science instruction.
Results: While 100% of our students are accepted to 4-year colleges, few are pursuing STEM related careers and many students are not adequately building the technology computer skills necessary for college or acquiring the motivation and confidence to pursue STEM related majors and careers.
What do we want to do: In order to make sure that every student at East Palo Alto Charter School and East Palo Alto Phoenix Academy has the tools necessary to be a high school graduate and be successful in college, East Palo Alto Charter School and East Palo Alto Phoenix Academy is committed to providing two full time science teachers, technology software for integrated online learning, and laptops for student learning and practice for college.
Value: With the support of two science teachers, technology software for integrated online learning, and laptops students are learning the skills necessary to be technologically literate and exposed and motivated to pursue STEM opportunities in college.
Ensure that our students develop STEM talent right here in Silicon Valley.
Cost: $150,000
Tandra’s Story, 12th Grade
Tandra, one of our top performing students and now a senior, has 4.0 GPA, is Student Council President and President of the Black Student Union. She has a passion for science, and is applying to over 25 colleges this fall, and planning to major in Environmental Science. Her trajectory was not obvious. After attending several different schools in Palo Alto and East Palo Alto, she settled into East Palo Alto Charter School and East Palo Alto Phoenix Academy. She credits a major interest in science from having taken Environmental Science with Ms. Heaps. The course integrates life sciences with chemistry, economics, sociology, engineering, and humanities to provide students with a foundation for understanding current environmental issues.
Current Program: East Palo Alto Charter School and East Palo Alto Phoenix Academy offers a diverse STEM curriculum in our school, including physics, biology, chemistry, environmental science, a middle school computer science elective, and K-6 grade science instruction.
Results: While 100% of our students are accepted to 4-year colleges, few are pursuing STEM related careers and many students are not adequately building the technology computer skills necessary for college or acquiring the motivation and confidence to pursue STEM related majors and careers.
What do we want to do: In order to make sure that every student at East Palo Alto Charter School and East Palo Alto Phoenix Academy has the tools necessary to be a high school graduate and be successful in college, East Palo Alto Charter School and East Palo Alto Phoenix Academy is committed to providing two full time science teachers, technology software for integrated online learning, and laptops for student learning and practice for college.
Value: With the support of two science teachers, technology software for integrated online learning, and laptops students are learning the skills necessary to be technologically literate and exposed and motivated to pursue STEM opportunities in college.
Ensure that our students develop STEM talent right here in Silicon Valley.
Cost: $150,000
- 2 additional full-time science teachers—one at the elementary school and one at the middle/ high school
- Elementary school garden program
Tandra’s Story, 12th Grade
Tandra, one of our top performing students and now a senior, has 4.0 GPA, is Student Council President and President of the Black Student Union. She has a passion for science, and is applying to over 25 colleges this fall, and planning to major in Environmental Science. Her trajectory was not obvious. After attending several different schools in Palo Alto and East Palo Alto, she settled into East Palo Alto Charter School and East Palo Alto Phoenix Academy. She credits a major interest in science from having taken Environmental Science with Ms. Heaps. The course integrates life sciences with chemistry, economics, sociology, engineering, and humanities to provide students with a foundation for understanding current environmental issues.
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Aspire East Palo Alto Charter School TK-8
1286 Runnymede Street East Palo Alto, CA 94303 Phone: (650) 614-9100 @aspire.epacs |
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EPACS is proudly part of Aspire Public Schools.
EPACS is proudly part of Aspire Public Schools.
