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

印第安人在所有科学、技术、工程和数学领域的代表性都很低。这是文化、经济和历史因素共同作用的结果。Elwha科学教育项目（ESEP）的广泛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6-12年级的美国原住民年轻人提供文化整合的地球科学教育，同时通过创建一个感兴趣的高中毕业生进入我们的高等教育合作伙伴的管道，最终增加这些学生追求地球科学职业和/或地球科学学位的人数。ESEP将以拆除大坝后的环境恢复为核心，开发独特的非正式地球科学教育方法。实践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项目的各个阶段。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。技术专门知识将由PI提供；奥林匹克国家公园将提供与计划中的爱尔华河修复项目有关的土地和数据；教育活动将由非营利性的奥林匹克公园研究所开展。其他合作伙伴包括Elwha kallam下部落、Port Angeles（西澳）学区和Crescent（西澳）学区。据估计，该项目将直接涉及80名美洲原住民学生，10名当地科学教师，并间接涉及600-700名奥林匹克半岛年轻人。ESEP的更广泛影响是通过发展一种基于文化的模式来实现的，这种模式将整个美洲原住民社区投资于他们年轻人的地球科学教育。这个项目是一个成功的两年试点项目的延续。

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.