Track 1 -- GEODES: Gearing Educational Opportunities toward Diversity in the Earth Sciences

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GEODES is a partnership between the Yale Peabody Museum's after school program 'Evolutions' and Yale geoscience faculty. The aim of the GEODES program is to supplement the formal school experiences of diverse Grades 9 through 12 students. Project activities are designed to: (1) Promote geoscience and general science literacy by expanding each student's geoscience and science knowledge base and empower them to consider critically currently relevant questions in these areas; (2) Improve college preparation through fostering a basic understanding of post-secondary academics and grade-appropriate college counseling; (3) Using a career-centered approach, enable students to explore and research STEM-related disciplines, with a specific focus on the geosciences; (4) Foster the development of 'transferable skills' that facilitate academic achievement and the eventual transition into the workforce. Specific project activities include: (a) a curriculum unit centered around the exploration of STEM majors and careers with a specific focus on the geosciences that includes career research, production of museum exhibit panels on geoscience careers, interviews with college admissions staff, and field trips to colleges; (b) paid academic year geosciences internships for high school students with Yale faculty; (c) development of lesson plans for students to present to elementary and middle school students; (d) production of student podcasts; (5) laboratory visits and behind-the-scenes collection tours; (e) production of program 'toolkit' to serve as a record of program conceptualization and early implementation, including evaluation results, in addition to providing curriculum outlines and discrete activities. The program will directly serve 40 high school students from the New Haven Public School system, their families and communities.