VCU Division of Community Engagement Receives a $400,000 Grant to Engage Low-Income Middle School Students in Energy and Environmental Issues

By Mike Porter

The Corporation for National and Community Service awarded a $400,000 Learn and Serve America grant to Virginia Commonwealth University’s Division of Community Engagement to inspire middle school students from low-income families in Virginia, Washington D.C. and surrounding states to meet local community needs in energy conservation, alternative clean energy innovation, and green jobs exploration through GreenSTEM@VCU.

“The GreenSTEM@VCU project capitalizes on VCU’s strengths in the areas of service-learning, life sciences, engineering and teacher education to provide middle school students with engaging and innovative science lessons that build the skills they need to succeed in a green economy,” said Lynn E. Pelco, Ph.D., director, VCU Division of Community Engagement Service-Learning Program.

The two-year grant will support two consecutive summer academies in which middle school science, technology and mathematics teachers representing the highest-needs schools will receive hands-on training in high quality service-learning and an integrated STEM curriculum to support students’ academic achievement.

“By integrating service-learning and STEM, VCU will be creating a middle school curriculum that takes teachers and students outside the classroom and into the community to research and solve the environmental problems that exist right where they live,” Pelco said.
Lessons developed will be made available to all teachers via the web, modeled after the successfully “Secrets of the Sequence” series.

The Division of Community Engagement promotes academic programs to enhance the community’s access to VCU, supports faculty and student involvement in community partnerships and creates opportunities for interdisciplinary, community-based collaborations that integrate research, teaching and service.

The Corporation for National and Community Service was formed to engage Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service to meet community needs. Each year, more than 1.5 million people of all ages and backgrounds help meet local needs through a wide array of service opportunities. These include projects in education, the environment, public safety, homeland security and other critical areas through the Corporation's three major programs: Senior Corps, AmeriCorps, and Learn and Serve America.