National Writing Project

Five Partnership Awards Announced through a Collaborative Initiative from the National Writing Project and the Association of Science-Technology Centers

For Immediate Release

 

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Berkeley, CA, April 3, 2013 — The National Writing Project (NWP) and the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) today announce the five winners of the first round of Intersections partnership awards. The winning partnerships are the Central Arizona Writing Project and Arizona Science Center; the Montana Writing Project and spectrUM Discovery; the San Diego Area Writing Project, San Diego Natural History Museum, and the Fleet Inquiry Institute; the UNC Charlotte Writing Project and Discovery Place; and the Western Pennsylvania Writing Project and Carnegie Science Museum.

The Intersections initiative is funded through a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to design a program that will integrate science and literacy. As part of this program, Building Informal Science Education and Literacy Partnerships (NSF Grant No. 122461), these five NWP sites and ASTC-member science centers and museums will forge partnerships to develop innovative programs for educators and youth.

This initiative was created to address the critical need for more programming that integrates two very important areas of curriculum — science and literacy, with a strong commitment to expanding access to high-quality science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and literacy education. The NWP/ASTC partnership will foster the creation of new program models able to reach a more diverse range of youth and educators, resulting in an infusion of literacy practices in informal settings as well as increased exposure of formal educators to STEM-rich learning experiences. The program will build on recommendations in the Common Core State Standards and the National Research Council's publication, "A Framework for K–12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts and Core Ideas."

"Both NWP and ASTC share a long history of working with educators and youth," said Dr. Sharon J. Washington, NWP Executive Director. "The collaboration of these organizations will generate a multitude of professional development programs for hundreds of informal and formal educators, as well as create rich opportunities for hundreds of young people across the country."

"We are tremendously energized by the opportunities for collaboration that this project presents," remarked ASTC Chief Executive Officer Anthony (Bud) Rock. "ASTC-member science centers have a long history of developing programs to target underserved youth, and partnering with NWP sites will foster a greater ability to reach those youth who might develop an interest in STEM through participation in literacy activities. The science center community will truly benefit from the results of this project."

 

The National Writing Project (NWP) is a nationwide network of educators working together to improve the teaching of writing in the nation's schools and in other settings. NWP provides high-quality professional development programs to teachers in a variety of disciplines and at all levels, from early childhood through university. Through its nearly 200 university-based sites serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the National Writing Project develops the leadership, programs, and research needed for teachers to help students become successful writers and learners. For more information, visit www.nwp.org.

The Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) is a global organization providing collective voice and professional support for science centers, museums, and related institutions, whose innovative approaches to science learning inspire people of all ages about the wonders and the meaning of science in their lives. Through strategic alliances and global partnerships, ASTC strives to increase awareness of the valuable contributions its members make to their communities and the field of informal STEM learning. Founded in 1973, ASTC now represents over 600 members in nearly 50 countries, including not only science centers and museums, but also nature centers, aquariums, planetariums, zoos, botanical gardens, and natural history and children's museums, as well as companies, consultants, and other organizations that share an interest in informal science education. For more information about ASTC, or to find a science center near you, visit www.astc.org.