80% of ChiS&E students pursue college majors in science, computer science and engineering
Chicago Pre-College Science and Engineering Program (ChiS&E) will host an orientation and registration session this Saturday, September 17, at Kenwood Academy for its highly sought after free program offerings in mathematics, science, engineering, computer programming, advanced robotics, chemistry and physics. The orientation will be held from 10:00 am – 12:30 pm at 5015 S. Blackstone in Chicago. The rigorous preparatory program is available to CPS students in grades K – 12 and includes internship opportunities at the University of Illinois Urbana and the University of Chicago.
The program, designed to prepare historically underrepresented African American and Latino students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), began 12 years ago. In 2021, 80% of the graduating seniors who participated in the program pursued a secondary education in computer science, engineering or science. The ChiS&E program aligns with the White House’s Best Practices for Diversity and Inclusion in STEM, that stresses the importance of ‘cultivating partnerships and collaboration, providing authentic and culturally relevant STEM engagement experiences for youth, and engaging effective mentors’.
ChiS&E’s special team-building approach fosters collaboration between parents and teachers, with both students and parents engaging in hands-on science and engineering activities. Grade level programs are specifically designed to foster math concepts as early as kindergarten. Additionally, the program hosts sessions with STEM role models across a variety of fields including scientists, mathematicians, college presidents, and NASA engineers. The group’s partnerships extend to the Kellogg and Boeing Foundations.
Over 90% of ChiS&E’s students surveyed said the program had a positive impact on their educational journey. And during their final year of high school, last year’s graduating seniors were enrolled in advanced math and science courses, with many in pre-calculus, calculus, and AP calculus, and a good number in AP physics. The student’s college choices include HBCU’s, public and private institutions, including ChiS&E’s partner institution the University of Illinois.
“Our formula of rigorous study, outside enrichment programs, parent involvement, and mentoring from those who have succeeded in these field, have been core to our program’s success over the last 12 years,” says Kenneth Hill, CEO of ChiS&E. “There have been severe declines in educational achievement overall coming out of the pandemic, and we want to ensure students of color have every opportunity to excel in the math and science driven careers of the future.”
About ChiS&E
The mission of the Chicago Pre-College Science and Engineering Program (ChiS&E) is to increase the number of historically underrepresented African American and Latino students who are motivated and academically prepared to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). ChiS&E provides highly-engaging, age appropriate hands-on science, mathematics, computer science and engineering activities and promotes careers in science and engineering. The program is a partnership between Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Colleges of Education and Engineering. Other partners include the LBJ STEM and Research Center at Texas State University, Riverbend Mathematics Center (South Bend Indiana), and the University of Chicago School of Molecular Engineering. The program includes the following classes: Kindergarten-Little Civil Engineer, First Grade-Little Chemical Engineer, Second Grade-Little Electrical Engineer, Third Grade-Little Mechanical Engineer, Fourth Grade- Little Structural Engineer, Fifth Grade- Geometry, Sixth Grade- Additional topics in Geometry, Seventh Grade- Physics and Mathematics, Eight Grade-Computer Science-Match Program(MIT), Ninth and Tenth Grades- Algebra topics for Calculus, Eleventh Grade-Physics and Eleventh and Twelfth Grade- Topics in Bioengineering and mentorship. In addition to its Saturday programming, ChiS&E provides several summer programs. They include the following: four week summer program for rising 6th 7th and 8th graders at Langton Hughes Elementary School (Mathematics- Algebra, Engineering- Bots, Raspberry Pi-Computer Programming), two week summer program for rising 9th and 10th graders at with a focus on engineering problem solving at the University of Illinois at Urbana and a two week summer program at Notre Dame University that focuses on mathematics and engineering.
ChiS&E is a 501©3 tax exempt organization.
