In collaboration with Liberty Science Center, the Urban Teacher Education Program (UTEP) at Rutgers University-Newark was awarded a grant by the U.S. Department of Education in 2014, launching “Excite and Ignite: Building the Next Generation of Teachers” (NextGen), with Jersey City Public Schools as a third partner. This grant-funded partnership focuses on building stronger teachers, especially in STEM.

t-STEM, a competitive outreach program, was created in 2016 as part of the NextGen grant, emerging from collaborations among UTEP, the Garden State-Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, and Liberty Science Center. This inaugural cohort included 19 high school seniors who participated in workshops dedicated to STEM enrichment and education. The program engaged students in peer-to-peer learning, inquiry-based activities, and discussions, while also increasing interest in becoming STEM educators.

Students spent four days at Rutgers University-Newark, engaging with STEM professors and educators. On campus, students made calculations based around bungee-jumping eggs, demonstrated science activities to their peers, and explored optics with lasers. Students also experienced the joys of teaching on the third day, as they designed and delivered mini science lessons to their peers. Finally, students were able to hear firsthand from STEM professionals and STEM educators about their career pathways throughout the week.

As the NextGen partnership aims to recruit and grow strong teachers, we look forward to building upon the successes of the inaugural t-STEM program in the coming years.

Liberty Science Center has been very excited about this partnership that has helped us fulfill our mission to “get learners of all ages excited about the power, promise, and pure fun of science and technology.” If you are someone who wants to inspire kids and teachers about science, check out the Teacher Programs Developer on our LSC Careers website. The Teacher Programs Developer champions innovative learning environments and prepares future educators for today’s urban classrooms. Click here for more information and to apply!