8/2/2007 - New York Hall of Science Training Program
Austin Children's Museum Selected to Participate in New York Hall of Science Training Program
AUSTIN, Texas - The Austin Children’s Museum (ACM) was selected as one of 16 museums and science centers globally to participate in New York Hall of Science’s (NYHS) “Science Career Ladder Dissemination Project.” The Science Career Ladder prepares underrepresented middle, high school and college students for careers in science, technology and education fields through an innovative education, employment and mentoring program. ACM staff will attend a four-day training this November and will work with NYHS to implement and adapt the program locally.
“This knowledge and professional affiliation will revolutionize the way we train our volunteers and staff and provide an effective method of communicating science content to our visitors,” said Becky Jones, Director of Education at Austin Children’s Museum.
NYHS’s Science Career Ladder (SCL) program celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2006. According to a 1994 survey by NYHS, more than 60% of SCL participants have gone on to pursue science, education or technology-related careers or to work in museums and science centers. The participants surveyed said the program increased their science knowledge and their ability to work with children. The program has also significantly raised the number of ethnically and economically diverse visitors to the Hall of Science.
“This program will escalate nearly every aspect of the mission and vision set forth in our strategic plan,” said Mike Nellis, Executive Director at Austin Children’s Museum. “It will be a platform for groundbreaking work in informal science education in Central Texas.”
Science Career Ladder students will be trained to provide exhibit interpretation, conduct science demonstrations and assist with workshops and special events. Students from middle school through college will progress through an elaborate system of training and assessment leading to increased levels of responsibility, pay and skill. The program not only benefits student participants, visitors and Museum staff, but the local education community as well. ACM will work with the UT College of Engineering and the new AnnRichardsSchool for Young Women Leaders to cultivate program participants.
ABOUT ACM
The mission of Austin Children's Museum is to create innovative learning experiences for children and families that equip and inspire the next generation of creative problem solvers. Located at the DellDiscoveryCenter downtown at the corner of 2nd Street and Colorado, the Austin Children's Museum is one of the city’s popular cultural attractions with 200,000 visitors annually. The Austin Children's Museum is a non-profit 501c3 organization and all donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. For more information on the exhibits and programs at the Austin Children’s Museum, visit www.austinkids.org or call 512-472-2499.
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Austin Children’s Museum staff available for interviews.