Science mentors

New materials supplement programs, push related careers

By Janine S. Creager
Close-Up Correspondent Salt Lake Tribune

Article Last Updated:02/08/2007 03:55:43 PM MST

The race is on.
    When talk turns to which nation will travel to the moon again, or which country's students will top the test score charts, the topic of making Americans more competitive in science comes up.
    Thanks to a generous donation from Gencorp Foundation and Aerojet in Clearfield, students in the Davis County School District will soon enjoy a competitive advantage. The donation is a series of "Science Screen Report" DVDs the district will be using in all of its elementary and secondary schools.
    The programs will supplement the district's current science curriculum by providing information and encouragement about science-related careers and by showing the practical applications of science in everyday life.
    The DVDs help "kids become more interested in science and engineering," says Steve Mangel, the district's science curriculum coordinator. "Anything that helps teachers, that gives them more [to] deliver to the students, is a great benefit."
    Produced by Florida-based Allegro Productions, "Science Screen Report" works with American corporations to place the DVDs in schools across the nation.
    "We're trying to get kids interested in careers in science," says Scott Forman, Allegro's director of corporate relations. "We work with a panel of advisors, science teachers and educators who sit down with a wish list [and decide], 'What should we cover that we haven't covered before?' "
    That discussion has resulted this year in a seven-program series for secondary schools that focuses on astronomy and the solar system; the series' emphasis for students in grades two through six is on a variety of topics, including volcanoes, alternative energy sources and the science of touch.
    Included in the DVDs are 15-minute segments that teachers can use to introduce a specific science topic, which can then lead to further discussion and hands-on demonstrations.
    Mangel, who taught science in the district for 17 years, knows the DVDs' value in the hands of qualified teachers. He also appreciates Aerojet's active role - providing judges for science fairs and offering three $1,000 scholarships for high school graduating seniors interested in math, science, engineering or technology careers - in the lives of district students.
    The donations, which include DVD supplemental material as well as scholarships, are a boon to the district, which like most educational institutions, is always short on funding.