OPRF ‘summit’ focuses on math, science
By BILL DWYER wdwyer@pioneerlocal.com February 7, 2012 6:40PM
Illinois Senator Dick Durbin looks at the Wall of Fame after delivering a speech at the 3rd annual STEM Summit (Science,Technology, Engineering and Math) in the Little Theater at Oak Park-River Forest High School on Feb. 3, 2011 in Oak Park. The day was part of Project Lead The Way to Engineering Program that enhances student involvement and interest in the sciences and mathematics. | Rob Hart-Sun-Times Media
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Updated: March 11, 2012 8:15AM
Science and math education were front and center at a day-long technology “summit” at Oak Park-River Forest High School Feb. 3.
More than 200 educators, researchers and business professionals participated in panel discussions, break-out sessions, and heard from keynote speakers on the benefits of strong science and math education, both for individual’s career prospects and the overall national economy.
The stated goal was to build partnerships between middle schools, high school and universities, develop research and mentoring relationships, and motivate and encourage students to consider the science and math fields as career choices.
Mission accomplished, said Bill Grosser, head of the OPRF science division.
“It was outstanding. It was an outstanding day,” said Grosser, who also helped organize the event. “It really moved the STEM program forward here at OPRF.”
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) started as an initiative between District 200 and Niles Township High Schools District 219 three years ago. Through it “educators, universities and employers can design and implement effective collaborative programs and work together to strengthen students’‟college and career readiness and success, particularly in these areas of vital need.”
“Our business leaders are saying to schools, ‘How do you prepare our future workers with the knowledge and skills they need to be successful and out economy needs to remain competitive?’” said OPRF Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Phil Prale.
The answer, Prale said, is a strong math and science foundation.
The immediate desired result, Grosser said, is accelerated progress in the comprehensive fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
“You have everyone in the same room at the same time,” Grosser said. “The University of Illinois can come to one place and talk with multiple high schools. Things that took a year, two years, you now have all the pieces to move quickly.”
The STEM summit approach has already paid of for the OPRF engineering program.
“We have an independent study research program with Dominican University that allows students to design and conduct research,” said Grosser. OPRF students can work with Dominican faculty and doctoral candidates on independent study.
“Participants get not just high school credit, but college credits at Dominican,” said Grosser.
This year the high school opened discussions with Northwestern University about partnering with its graduate school to have graduate students come to OPRF and work with students on mathematical modeling in the classroom.
OPRF is also talking with Triton College about arranging possible dual credit course work.
Grosser said he was particularly grateful for the support of State Sen. Don Harmon and U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin.
“Senator Harmon kicked off the morning talking on education in general but in particular STEM education,” he said.
Durbin spoke of his memories as a boy in southern Illinois watching the reaction to Sputnik and how it energized the focus on math and science.
“With President Obama talking about all the (national) initiatives… with universities and businesses,” Grosser said, “STEM is really the foundation on which we can build future economic growth.”
While OPRF students didn’t participate directly in the summit, 15 students acted as guides to help participants move around the sprawling high school. They were then allowed to observe the presentations.
“All of the kids said they were really blown away by the morning keynote speaker,” Grosser said. That speaker, Ross Powell, Ph.D., from Northern Illinois University, spoke of his experiences working with robotics at a research facility in Antarctica.
Jason Tyszko of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity kicked off the afternoon program with a talk about the state’s efforts to maximize federal recovery funds and how science investment plays into that.
Grosser said he’s excited about several other recent developments. He said planned changes to the old No Child Left Behind testing standards should foster greater focus on the value of science.
Under the new Common Core Standards Initiative, students will soon be tested on not just reading and math but also science.
“We’ll have the trifecta of reading, math and science,” he said.
The high school also recently launched a new initiative, the Project Lead the Way Pathway to Engineering Program.
Lead the Way will offer students a “hands-on and project-based pre-engineering program,” he said.
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