Major Science Initiative Taps Local Scientists

Science is big news these days. A February cover story in Time magazine reported on America's struggle to keep up with the world-wide scientific community, and the challenge that struggle poses to our super-power status.

In the SRVUSD, we're poised to answer that challenge. Led by local teachers in their desire to enrich the science curriculum, and supported by a cadre of scientists who live and work in our community, a major Science Initiative is underway.

Director of Curriculum, Robert Alpert, has been working with an advisory panel of science leaders in our schools - Bonnie Kohleriter, Laura Finco, Cheryl Burleigh, and Joell Marchese have been immersed in the initial planning work of the district Science Initiative. According to Finco, science teacher at Stone Valley Middle School, the teachers' teamwork on this project has been invaluable. "We have such a wealth of talent in this district; bringing everyone together to collaboratively develop a program that will enrich our students truly demonstrates what we have to offer our community." She, like her colleagues, feels energized by the opportunity to collaborate with the brilliant scientific community enlisted to design this project. The roster of scientists on the advisory committee is impressive - men and women who live in the community and hold leadership positions at Lawrence Livermore Lab, UC and Cal State programs, NASA-Ames Research Center, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and private industry. They are truly the best and the brightest in their fields.

The Science Initiative grew out of the local science community's belief that the science programs in our schools should reflect the wealth of talent and potential in our students. Former Deputy Program Leader at Lawrence Livermore Lab and Chairman of the Science Advisory Board, Bick Hooper put it this way. "It is time to make science the fourth 'R.' Science is as fundamental to modern culture as great literature and the arts. Science learning should start early for children, opening doors for those who have a special aptitude and interest in science, so that it becomes a realistic career choice when their time comes to make that decision."

That ideal is echoed by Finco. "I would love to see Science Education in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District be a driving curricular force. There are so many opportunities for interdisciplinary interactions through science."

Initial funding for the Science Initiative came from the San Ramon Valley Education Foundation. This generous group, which donates thousands of dollars to our local schools each year, believes in the promise and potential of the Science Initiative. They played a pivotal role in its initial funding, but, in order to see this project grow and remain viable in our district, a stable, sustained source of funding needs to be developed. Offering the rigorous science curriculum that our science students deserve requires a sizable budget.

Last year, a group of students at John Baldwin Elementary got a taste of science's unlimited potential. They assembled in the library, and took turns speaking into a microphone, transmitting their voices to outer space. Former John Baldwin student, Leroy Chiao, circling the globe as Commander of the International Space Station, was interviewed by the kids for several minutes. They had spent weeks researching and preparing their questions, which reflected their natural curiosity and intellect, as well as lots of good teaching.

Those students got a chance to experience first-hand the excitement that is Science. They got a chance to believe that dreams can be realized and a local elementary student could grow up to be an astronaut. That's the kind of excitement and possibility the Science Initiative supporters want all students to know.

The momentum for the Science Initiative is building. We have an opportunity to grow the next generation of scientific minds right here in our own classrooms - minds that can shape the future.

The Science Initiative is supported by donations to the San Ramon Valley Education Foundation's Endowment Fund. To make a donation to the endowment fund, please make checks payable to: SRVEF Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 1463, San Ramon, CA 94583. For more information about the Science Initiative, contact Bill Dunkle at 925-831-8002.