The After-School Program for innovation and Respect for Education (A.S.P.I.R.E.) is a professionally guided mentorship program, whereby LSUS faculty members guide college students to mentor middle and high school students in their own schools and neighborhoods. The program's curriculum emphasizes project-based learning in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in some of Louisiana's most at-risk public schools and residential areas. This program is open to students 11-18 with the permission of their parents. The program's emphasis on project-based learning stands in stark contrast to how students are currently being taught in most pubic schools. We have covered a variety of scientific areas, including medicinal chemistry, embryology, aeronautics, fluorescence, alternative energy, rocketry, fuel cells, geology, nutrition, and the chemical senses. This lecture will describe the program's successes and challenges along with useful guidelines for maximizing student participation, performance, and results.

A.S.P.I.R.E: A successful model for introducing project-based learning into at-risk schools and neighborhood learning centers

245th National Meeting (2013)

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