Current clients include:
• Mid-Central Educational Cooperative, Platte, SD –
South Dakota Partnership for Teacher Quality (SDPTQ) program
• South Dakota Department of Education, Pierre, SD –
GEAR UP State Grant (GUSD)
• Oglala Lakota College, Kyle, SD –
Creating Synergy in Science and Education (CSSE)/ Yuowanca program
• Oglala Lakota College, Kyle, SD –
Wayawawicakiya Waste STEM Teachers of Excellence Education (STEEP) program
• Fairmont State University, Fairmont, WV –
GEAR UP Partnership Grant
• South Dakota Department of Education, Pierre, SD –
College Challenge Access Grant (SDCAC)
• Bramble Park Zoo, Watertown, SD –
Educational programming
• Roots & Shoots program at Bramble Park Zoo, Watertown, SD and the Pine Ridge Reservation
Mid-Central Educational Cooperative, Platte, SD – South Dakota Partnership for Teacher Quality (SDPTQ) program
In September, 2009, the US Department of Education awarded twenty-eight new five-year Teacher Quality Partnership grants to improve instruction in struggling US schools. The Mid-Central Educational Cooperative (Mid-Central), a local education agency authorized by the State of South Dakota, was awarded one of these grants for the South Dakota Partnership for Teacher Quality (SDPTQ) program.
The SDPTQ program is an unprecedented partnership effort in the State of South Dakota to 1) develop highly qualified teachers, and place and retain these teachers within high-need elementary and secondary South Dakota schools, and 2) develop and implement an innovative collaboration between an Institute of Higher Education, high-need Local Education Agencies (LEA’s), and the rural communities served by these LEA’s. To reach these goals, the program is following three objectives:
Objective 1: Increase the number of highly qualified teachers in the state of South Dakota,
Objective 2: Increase the number of highly qualified teachers serving in high-needs South Dakota LEA’s, and
Objective 3: Increase the retention of highly qualified teachers serving in high-needs South Dakota LEA’s.
Over five years, the SDPTQ program will be implemented in 49 high-need public schools located within 19 high-need LEA’s. Forty-one of these schools are elementary and middle schools, and 8 are high schools. The total student population at these schools is over 6,700.
Key to the program’s success is a diverse group of partners who are committed to working together and providing the necessary resources to achieve the program’s goals. Partners include the Mid-Central Educational Cooperative, the University of South Dakota, the Rural Learning Center, the American Indian Institute for Innovation, and BC Kuhn Evaluation, LLC.
South Dakota Department of Education, Pierre, SD – GEAR UP State Grant (GUSD)
The Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, or GEAR UP, is a federal discretionary grant program designed to “increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.” GEAR UP awards six-year grants to states and partnerships, and grantees serve students in high-poverty middle and high schools from 7th through 12th grades. The program is federally funded, and authorized under Title IV – Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended in 1998 (P.L. 105-244, Chapter 2 - Gaining Early Awareness & Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, Section 404A-404H).
The GEAR UP program requires that states provide GEAR UP early intervention services to either priority students in preschool through grade 12, or a cohort of students beginning no later than 7th grade. Priority students must qualify for free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Act, or for assistance under Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), authorized by Title I of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity. The cohort approach requires that at least 50 percent of the students enrolled are eligible for free or reduced price lunch under the National School Lunch Act. The grant also requires states to match the federal contribution dollar-for-dollar. For more information about the GEAR UP program, please visit the federal department of education website at www.ed.gov/programs/gearup.
In 2005, the South Dakota State Department of Education received one of the 27 State GEAR UP grants awarded nationally. The total federal award for the six-year grant period is approximately 6.9 million dollars. The governor of South Dakota, M. Michael Rounds, designated the State Department of Education as the administrator of the grant. Keith Moore, Indian Education Director at the South Dakota Department of Education, serves as program director and leads the GUSD program. While all students at GUSD schools are served by the program, GUSD is applying a blended approach to their grant so that Native American students within the cohort are given priority.
The overarching goal of the GUSD program is to increase the number of first generation, low-income Native American students who are prepared to enter and succeed in post-secondary education. The GUSD program seeks to meet four master objectives:
Objective 1: Increase the academic performance and preparation for post-secondary education of participating students;
Objective 2: Increase the rate of high school graduation and participation in post-secondary education of participating students;
Objective 3: Increase the educational expectations of participating students and parents, as well as student and family knowledge of post-secondary education options, preparation, and financing; and
Objective 4: Strengthen educational resources and infrastructure at GEAR UP schools.
Oglala Lakota College, Kyle, SD – Creating Synergy in Science and Education (CSSE)/ Yuowanca program
Oglala Lakota College (OLC) is located on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Pine Ridge is the second largest reservation in the United States with over 2 million acres and approximately 14,000 residents (US Census Bureau, 2000). OLC’s primary mission is to provide programs of study that meet the needs of the people of the Pine Ridge Reservation, and to serve the reservation community. OLC is chartered by the Oglala Sioux Tribe (OST) to coordinate all higher education on Pine Ridge, and the college focuses on providing OST with educated and trained human resources and personnel; presents Lakota language, culture, and philosophy in the curriculum; and assists with the developmental needs of the reservation’s districts and communities. OLC is a tribally controlled and community-governed institution of higher education offering 2-year, 4-year, and graduate programs. In the fall of 2007, 92.6% of enrolled students were American Indian or Alaskan Native (National Center for Education Statistics).
The National Science Foundation (NSF) provides grants to tribal colleges as part of the Tribal Colleges and University Program (TCUP). In 2009, OLC received a 3-year grant for the Creating Synergy in Science and Education (CSSE) Yuowanca program. This program builds on the successes of the previous NSF funded TCUP Magakata Woslolye Oaye (Cultivating Science into the Future) Phase I and II programs.The CSSE/ Yuowanca program aims to strengthen science leadership at Tribal Colleges. The program is expanding prior TCUP initiatives by “cultivating scientific curiosity through collaborative undergraduate research and educational initiatives between mainstream Universities, Tribal Agencies and the K12 classroom” (NSF). The program’s goals are to:
Goal 1: Improve the quality of undergraduate STEM education through developing OLC faculty and educational resources with the purpose of delivering hands-on, place-based STEM instruction for undergraduate students;
Goal 2: Strengthen partnerships within OLC, Tribal resource programs, and outside academic institutions; and
Goal 3: Broaden the pipeline of future STEM undergraduates at OLC.
Oglala Lakota College, Kyle, SD – Wayawawicakiya Waste STEM Teachers of Excellence Education (STEEP) program
In July 2005, the National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded Oglala Lakota College (OLC) a five-year grant titled Wayawawicakiya Waste (Good Teacher) STEM Teachers of Excellence Education Program (STEEP). The primary goal of the Wayawawicakiya Waste program is to significantly increase the number of qualified, high quality STEM secondary teachers for rural schools. The program trains secondary teachers in effective teaching methodologies and provides additional support in the form of teaching tools, software, and post-graduate professional development opportunities. In addition, the program includes a K-12 outreach initiative and collaborates with reservation-based schools across South Dakota. Over time, the program will impact more than 14,000 school children in its partner schools. The ultimate goal of the program is to eliminate the disparity between the SAT9 scores of Native and non-Native school children.
Fairmont State University, Fairmont, WV – GEAR UP Partnership Grant
In 2005, Fairmont State University (FSU) was awarded a six-year, 31 million dollar GEAR UP partnership grant. Of the 209 partnership grants awarded in 2005, the Fairmont State award was the fourth largest in the country (US Department of Education). GEAR UP partnership grants are competitive, matching grants, required to have an early intervention component (US Department of Education). These grants are awarded to partnerships that include one or more local education agencies (LEA) or school districts, one or more degree-granting institutions of higher education (IHE), and at least two other organizations (e.g., community-based organizations, businesses, faith-based organizations, college student organizations, state agencies, or parent groups) (US Department of Education). Partnerships are required to utilize a cohort or whole-grade approach, and by law services to these cohorts must start no later than 7th grade and continue on through the 12th grade. The cohorts themselves must include either "(1) all of the students in a particular grade level at a participating school that has a 7th grade and in which at least 50 percent of the students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch under the National School Lunch Act; or (2) all of the students in a particular grade level, who reside in public housing, as defined in section 3(b)(1) of the United States Housing Act of 1937."
The Fairmont State GEAR UP partnership grant serves a cohort of approximately 7,000 students. GEAR UP began providing services to these students in 2005, when they were in the 6th and 7th grades, and GEAR UP students attend a total of 22 high schools located throughout 14 West Virginia counties. Fifteen of these schools are in rural areas, and all schools are located in counties classified as Appalachia by the Appalachian Regional Commission.
The focus of the FSU GEAR UP grant is to:
Demonstrate the importance of education in today's world;
Encourage all middle and high school students to set high educational and career goals;
Help students learn how to prepare, enter, and succeed in college, or other post-secondary training;
Provide parents with the information and resources they need to stay involved in their students' education and to help them lay out plans for the future; and
Provide teachers with the tools and training needed to raise both academic expectations and student achievement in the classroom.
South Dakota Department of Education, Pierre, SD – College Challenge Access Grant (SDCAC)
Funded by the US Department of Education in 2008, the South Dakota College Access Challenge grant program (SDCAC) works with a diverse set of partners to provide authorized activities to South Dakota students and families who are living below the poverty line. The SDCAC program strives to meet two goals:
Goal 1: Increase students’ and parents’ knowledge of post-secondary education options, preparation, and financing, and
Goal 2: Increase the number of students who enroll in post-secondary education within one year of high school graduation.
The Governor of South Dakota, M. Michael Rounds, has designated the South Dakota Department of Education, Office of Indian Education, as the agency responsible for administering the SDCAC program.
The SDCAC program will focus on five authorized activities:
1) Provide information to students and families on post-secondary education benefits, opportunities, planning, and career preparation;
2) Conduct outreach activities for students who may be at risk of not enrolling in or completing college;
3) Assist students in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA);
4) Implement professional development for guidance counselors at secondary schools to improve their capacity to assist students and parents; and
5) Offer need-based grant aid to students.
SDCAC program activities include college and career counseling; advising and mentoring; college visits; and workshops on post-secondary options, preparation, and financing. The SDCAC program also offers a need-based scholarship component. Program partners include various offices within the South Dakota Department of Education, the Mid-Central Education Cooperative, and 7 institutions of higher education, that include 4 technical institutes and 3 Tribal colleges. In addition to federal funds, SDCAC partners provide scholarships as match.
Bramble Park Zoo, Watertown, SD – Educational programming
The Bramble Park Zoo is an Association of Zoo and Aquariums (AZA) accredited zoo located in Watertown, South Dakota. The zoo, founded in 1912, currently encompasses a 15-acre area and houses approximately 500 animals representing 130 species. The annual attendance averages 50,000, roughly 30,000 of which participate in the zoo’s education programs.
The Bramble Park Zoo’s mission is to promote wildlife understanding and conservation through public education, maintenance of superior exhibits, and high quality care for the animal collection. The zoo also aims to provide patrons with an enjoyable recreational experience. To accomplish this mission, the zoo 1) provides visitors with a pleasant recreational setting in which they may view native South Dakota wildlife, animals from around the world, and selected endangered species; 2) acts as a wildlife rehabilitation center; 3) presents educational programs to all age groups, which enhance their understanding and respect for wildlife; and 4) provides a quality product, in a friendly manner and at a reasonable price, to assure it can fulfill its mission.The Bramble Park Zoo Education Department plays a critical role in fulfilling the zoo’s mission. The goal/ mission of the department is to raise people’s awareness of and respect for the natural world and their effect on it. In this effort, the department follows four objectives:
Objective 1: Offering a broad spectrum of mission- and AZA-driven programs that emphasize informal learning, inquiry-based instruction, creativity, and fun;
Objective 2: Creating personal experiences that celebrate wildlife, renew everyone’s connection to the environment, and inspire conservation action;
Objective 3: Providing programs that are accessible to diverse audiences, keeping in mind that people have different needs and learn in different ways; and
Objective 4: Making sure education is a zoo-wide endeavor to fulfill the department’s mission.
The Education Department aims to provide all people, regardless of age or ability, with the opportunity to see, touch, and learn about many animals from around the world. Programs are designed to emphasize the importance and significance of environmental conservation, as well as the importance of all animals and their roles within the planet’s ecosystems.
Roots & Shoots program at the Bramble Park Zoo, Watertown, SD and the Pine Ridge Reservation
The Roots & Shoots (R&S) program, founded by Dr. Jane Goodall in 1991, is a global initiative, operating throughout 110 countries, that involves roughly 150,000 (primarily) youth. It’s mission is to foster respect and compassion for all living things, to promote understanding of all cultures and beliefs, and to inspire each individual to take action to make the world a better place for people, animals, and the environment. The program’s four global goals are:
Goal 1: To implement positive change through active learning about, caring for and interacting with the environment;
Goal 2: To demonstrate care and concern for all animals;
Goal 3: To enhance understanding among individuals of different cultures, ethnic groups, religions, socio-economic levels and nations through their global communications network; and
Goal 4: To help young people develop self-respect, confidence in themselves and hope for the future.
While R&S projects vary widely, all offerings follow a shared methodology or model that is geared toward maximizing youth engagement. These projects help participants, both young and old, to see the connections that exist among all living systems by actively working to address the issues and needs of the local community. R&S projects include, for example, programs such as the Eco-office Evaluation Program in Shanghai, China, that helps offices become more energy efficient; a program at the Lugufu Refugee Camp in western Tanzania, that teaches Congolese refugees how to raise endangered chickens; and a community-wide drive, led by Wallace R&S members in Listowel, Ontario, that collected personal hygiene items for a local women’s shelter. The program is grounded in the belief that “every individual matters, every individual has a role to play, and every individual makes a difference” (R&S).
With Roots & Shoots programs operating in every US state, the program has established regional offices to better serve program participants. The Northern Great Plains Regional Office, located at the Bramble Park Zoo (BPZ), serves the states of Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The R&S program at BPZ offers program participants, and the public as a whole, a multitude of program offerings that adhere both to the mission of the Roots & Shoots program and the zoo itself. Programs include geo-caching, an annual Roots & Shoots Free Day, Peace Day, Girls Rule, and Camp Chance.
Locally, the R&S program is also at work on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Headed by Jason Schoch and Patricia Hammond, the Pine Ridge R&S program provides activities that empower the Reservation’s communities and young people to become better stewards of their world. The program, for example, establishes community gardens and farmer’s markets, conducts beautification projects and nature walks, and provides informal educational opportunities on native plants, proper animal care, and the diversity of all living things.
The BPZ and Pine Ridge R&S programs have been partnering since 2006.
