The Elwha Science Education Project (ESEP): Increasing the Representation in the Geosciences by Native American Youth Through Participation in Environmental Restoration Projects

美洲原住民在所有科学、技术、工程和数学领域的代表性都很差。这种代表性不足是由多种文化、经济和历史因素造成的。 Elwha 科学教育项目 (ESEP) 的总体目标是建立一个合作伙伴网络，为华盛顿北部奥林匹克半岛的 6-12 年级美国原住民年轻人提供文化融合的地球科学教育，同时通过为感兴趣的高中毕业生建立进入我们高等教育合作伙伴的渠道，最终增加追求地球科学职业和/或地球科学学位的学生数量。 ESEP 将开发独特的非正式地球科学教育方法，以大坝拆除后的环境恢复为核心。 实践性的地球科学教育活动将以文化融合的方式进行。 部落长老和教育工作者将参与该项目的所有阶段。 当地学区将在学年期间参与其中。 所有学生参与者都将有机会获得全年的导师和活动。 PI 将提供技术专业知识；奥林匹克国家公园将提供与计划中的埃尔瓦河恢复项目相关的土地和数据的使用权；教育活动将由非营利组织奥林匹克公园研究所开展。 其他合作伙伴包括 Lower Elwha Klallam 部落、安吉利斯港 (WA) 学区和新月 (WA) 学区。 预计该项目将直接涉及80名美国原住民学生、10名当地科学教师，间接涉及600-700名奥林匹克半岛年轻人。 ESEP 的更广泛影响是通过开发基于文化的模型来实现的，该模型将整个美洲原住民社区投资于年轻人的地球科学教育。 该项目是为期两年的成功试点的延续。

Native Americans are poorly represented in all science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. This under representation results from numerous cultural, economic, and historical factors. The broad goal of the Elwha Science Education Project (ESEP) is to develop a network of partners delivering culturally-integrated, geoscience education to Native American young people in grades 6-12 in the northern Olympic Peninsula of Washington while ultimately increasing the number of these students that pursue a geoscience career and/or geoscience degree by creating a pipeline of interested high school graduates into our higher education partners. The ESEP will develop unique approaches to informal geoscience education using environmental restoration as a consequence of dam removal as a centerpiece. Hands-on, geoscience education activities will be delivered in a culturally integrated manner. Tribal elders and educators will participate in all phases of the project. Local school districts will be involved during the academic year. All student participants will have access to year-round mentors and activities. Technical expertise will be provided by the PI; access to land and data related to the planned Elwha River Restoration Project will be provided by Olympic National Park; and educational activities will be carried out by the non-profit, Olympic Park Institute. Additional partners include the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Port Angeles (WA) School District and Crescent (WA) School District. It is estimated that the project will directly involve 80 Native American students, 10 local science teachers, and indirectly, 600-700 Olympic Peninsula young people. Broader impacts of the ESEP are realized by the development of a culture-based model for investing an entire Native American community in the geoscience education of their young people. This project is the continuation of a successful two-year pilot.