Sep 14 2010
Black Male Donor Collaborative (BMDC) has declared an award of $100,000 to assist New York University’s (NYU-Poly) initiatives of expanding its Central Brooklyn Robotics Initiative (CBRI).
Since 2007, CBRI engages both NYU-Poly’s doctoral engineers and teachers from the downtrodden Brooklyn schools to create active, real-time classroom instructions, thereby utilizing the attraction of the children with robotics to enhance their curiosity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). BMDC is focused on upgrading the school performance of young Black students and also providing them with better learning prospects.
CBRI has reported that by the end of this year, the number of Brooklyn elementary, middle and high schools will be increased from 12 to 18 and over the next three years more than 36 schools will be started. Around 80% of their students belong to the minorities’ category, since they are not dominantly found in any of the scientific careers.
CBRI’s external assessment has reported that this program has a significant positive impact on the students. For instance, their teachers had revealed that during the CBRI program or after the program, around 810 students have shown profound improvements in their letter grades and 74% of pupils marked one-half or one full increased letter grade. Also 80% of the students experienced an improvement of one-half or one full letter grade in math and science. Around 77% reported increased fascination towards science and technology whereas 83% revealed enhanced attention skills. Interestingly 83% of the students consider NYU-Poly fellows to be their exemplars.
CBRI conducts robot design contests to get rid of the seclusion of these minority children, by which they can contend against other students and also mingle with them in unofficial learning events.
Nicole Sharpe, Director of BMDC has stated that they had invested in CBRI since it offers a novel school-based program featuring innovative and pleasing curriculum in science and mathematics, thereby helping the children to outshine academically. He added that their organization is an association of humanitarian institutions and corporations that invest on expandable research oriented programs which are focused on enhancing the academic performance of young Black children.
According to Jerry M. Hultin, President of NYU-Poly, their University is committed in imparting STEM education to students of all academic grades, thereby supporting them to take up higher education and providing them with technical jobs. He added that the CBRI program has enabled them to link their academic proficiency with the requirements of the society and with the BMDC grant they will widen their attempts in developing the performance of the children in local schools and also in enhancing the knowledge of teachers.