Public awareness campaigns, community volunteers, programming offers middle school math assistance.
NEW ORLEANS – (Jan. 21, 2020) – In an effort to help improve Louisiana students’ math performance, Chevron’s Gulf of Mexico Business Unit and TIES, have teamed up with local partners STEM NOLA and Northshore STEM Coalition to launch Chevron: Fueling Math. The program was developed with input from dozens of educators, families and community leaders. Chevron: Fueling Math is made possible through $75,000 in funding from Chevron and will work to raise the public’s understanding of the role that math plays in our lives, develop a team of volunteers to mentor and tutor local middle school students and provide meaningful learning opportunities to spark students’ interest in math.
Calvin Mackie, president and founder of STEM NOLA said, “We wanted to focus on middle school. In those grades students form lasting opinions about math. They decide that they love it or hate it during these years, and we want them to love it! We thank Chevron for supporting this initiative.”
Wendy Conarro, co-chair of the Northshore STEM Coalition, which serves the Northshore region, said, “Chevron: Fueling Math is the ideal solution for providing direct support to students, teachers and families, while also introducing students to professionals who can serve as role models.”
Billboards promoting Chevron: Fueling Math will begin appearing throughout the region in mid-January and feature inspirational messages about how math relates to everyday life and success.
In addition to a public awareness campaign, Chevron: Fueling Math will host various events to raise awareness about the importance of math and get students excited about the subject. For more information, please visit Chevron:Fueling Math. The program begins with a virtual kickoff on Saturday, Feb. 6 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. during which students will learn to make a Mardi Gras greeting card, guided by NASA System Quality Engineer Renee Horton. Interested families can register for the event here.
A Math Corps, made up of volunteers who will tutor and mentor area middle school students, will also be formed in virtual settings. STEM professionals from across the region are encouraged to join the Math Corps to share information about the role that math has played in their lives. To volunteer for the program, please complete this questionnaire.
“When students meet someone who not only excels in math, but also uses it in their career, they start thinking about STEM professions they could pursue,” said Caitlin Hunter, Community Engagement Specialist for Chevron’s Gulf of Mexico Business Unit. “We have a unique opportunity and responsibility to help students enhance their math skills and begin building their confidence in the subject. At Chevron, we are committed to investing in valuable programs like this one that promote STEM education and foster a passion for learning. We’re glad to be a part of it.”
After the Math Corps is formed, students will be invited to join online math tutoring and mentoring sessions during which they will work on specific math challenges to improve skills.
As an organization focused on building meaningful partnerships that help to address opportunity gaps in education, TIES has strategically designed this program to meet the specific needs of local Louisiana communities. Both STEM NOLA and the Northshore STEM Coalition are members of TIES’ STEM Learning Ecosystems Community of Practice, a network of 94 Ecosystems operating worldwide.
Imagine Learning is also providing support for the initiative.
“We are grateful to Chevron for their generous support and involvement in this program, as well as all of our local partners for helping to develop and launch Chevron: Fueling Math,” said Veronica Gonzales, director of STEM Learning Ecosystems. “There is a critical need for math support in the state of Louisiana and, together, we can address that challenge head-on.”
For more information about Chevron: Fueling Math, please visit fuelingmath.com. To apply as a volunteer for the Math Corps, click here. To register a student mentee for the program, click here.
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About STEM NOLA and the Northshore STEM Coalition
The mission of STEM NOLA is to grow future Innovators, Creators, and Entrepreneurs through inspiration, engagement, and exposure. Members of the community will learn about opportunities in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). For more information, call 504-391-0730 or visit www.stemnola.com.
The Northshore STEM Coalition expands quality STEM education opportunities for students in the Northshore region of Louisiana through the synergy of community collaborations. Northshore STEM increases community awareness and interest in STEM by promoting and creating STEM events and supporting out-of-school programs in the Northshore region. For more information, visit www.northshorestem.org
