The Rochester Area Colleges (RAC) Center for Excellence in Math and Science announced today the award of its first grant for programs to increase high school students' interest in becoming math and science educators. The $20,000 grant will enable Today's Students Tomorrow's Teachers (TSTT) to partner with the Rochester City School District and RAC member institutions to provide interested and qualified students with a program that includes seminars on: teaching as a career; mentoring by K-12 mathematics and science teachers; assistance in preparing for and applying to colleges; and a mentorship experience with current undergraduate teacher education students:.
"We are very excited about the Today's Students Tomorrow's Teachers program", said Charles Brown, Jr., the Center's executive director. "TSTT's programs have already demonstrated results in getting more students interested in teaching as a profession. We now have the opportunity to specifically focus their expertise on the needs in math and science education."
The initial grant will enable seven students in two participating Rochester City School District high schools to explore teaching as profession through interaction with outstanding teacher mentors. They will also gain first hand experience in teaching through a requirement to serve as a tutor to younger grades in the system. Students selected for the program must be capable of achieving a B+ average before the completion of the program. If the student successfully completes the TSTT program, they may become eligible for a much as a 50% tuition discount at several of the RAC institutions.
"Future success in the Rochester City School District's (RCSD) math and science curricula is directly dependent on the supply of qualified and enthusiastic teachers" said RCSD Interim Superintendent, William Cala. "The TSTT program enabled through this grant has the potential for a direct payoff to the District because the successful student participants are required to return to teach in their sponsoring district. Interested students should contact their guidance counselors during the next several weeks.
We are delighted to receive this generous grant award to support Today's Students, Tomorrow's Teachers' (TSTT) successful program of preparing and mentoring future teachers," said Bettye Perkins, Ed.D., chief executive officer of TSTT. "This year we graduated more teaching candidates than ever in the history of our program, and we're still growing—both in the high school and college communities. RAC's recognition and trust is gratifying."
About Today's Students, Tomorrow's Teachers: TSTT, an independent, non-profit organization chartered by the New York State Board of Regents, was founded 10 years ago by Dr. Bettye Perkins, an educator and former IBM Corporation executive. The organization which is based in Westchester County, New York is a partnership of school districts, businesses, foundations, communities and colleges that provide internships and financial support. The organization currently serves 177 high school students and 180 first-generation and minority college students from 43 high schools in New York State and Connecticut.
About The Rochester Area Colleges (RAC) Center for Excellence in Math and
Science: The RAC Center for Excellence in Math and Science was created in February, 2007 with a $500,000 grant from New York State. The Center is charged with the mission of leveraging the resources of the 19 RAC institutions to increase the quality and quantity of K-16 students pursuing curricula in math and science and related technologies and to increase the quality and quantity of K-12 teachers of math and science. The Rochester Area Colleges, first organized in 1970, consists of 19 area institutions including twelve private colleges; four 4-year public institutions; and three community colleges.