TRACK 1 Collaborative Project: "Embracing Science - From the 'Field to the Fair'"

Oglala Lakota College(OLC)和南达科他州矿业与技术学院(SDSM&amp；T)合作建立和加强了针对初中生和高中生的地球科学学习途径。来自松岭保护区的15名美国原住民，来自拉皮特城地区的15名美国原住民，以及来自这两个地点的科学教师参加了一次共同的野外夏令营体验，旨在让他们接触到地球和大气科学方面的各种研究和职业机会，并激发他们对同样的研究和职业机会的兴趣。一个附带的目标是提高社区对鼓励美洲原住民青年为他们的职业和教育做计划的必要性的认识。夏令营的经历导致了一个科学博览会项目的发展。在夏令营之后的整个学年里，30名美洲原住民参与者在准备松岭科学博览会和高平原地区科学与工程博览会时，由OLC和SDSM&amp；T的本科生和研究生指导。项目在12月份的拉科塔民族邀请赛上展示，以接触到更广泛的美洲原住民受众。预期的成果包括：1)通过夏令营教育美洲印第安人学生和他们的大家庭成员，了解OLC和SDSM&amp；T校区的美国原住民学生可以获得的机会，然后准备科学博览会项目；2)巩固和保持在SDSM&amp；T和OLC校区为美洲原住民学生准备科学博览会项目的指导经验；3)为南达科他州当地学区和高等教育之间的合作创造一个可复制的模式，以便派遣导师团队为初中生/高中生服务；4)让参与者在他们的科学项目中学习和使用拉科塔语，以增进他们对地球和环境的传统知识的了解；以及5)通过将研究与直接和有形的世界联系起来，改善美洲印第安人接触地球科学的机会。

"Field to the Fair" is a collaboration between Oglala Lakota College (OLC) and South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSM&T) to establish and strengthen the geosciences learning path for middle and high school Native American students. Fifteen Native Americans from the Pine Ridge Reservation, fifteen Native Americans from the Rapid City area, and science teachers from both locations participate in a common field-camp experience designed to expose them to a variety of research and career opportunities in Earth and atmospheric sciences and to trigger their interest in the same. An adjunct goal is to increase community awareness about the need to encourage Native American youth to plan for their careers and education. The camp experience leads into the development of a science fair project. Throughout the school year following the summer field camp, the 30 Native American participants are mentored by undergraduate and graduate students from OLC and SDSM&T as they prepare for the Pine Ridge Science Fair and High Plains Regional Science and Engineering Fair. Projects are presented at the Lakota Nation Invitational in December to reach a broader audience of Native Americans. The expected outcomes include: 1) Educate American Indian students and members of their extended families about the available opportunities for Native American students on the OLC and SDSM&T campuses through summer-camp, followed by the preparation of science fair projects; 2) Solidify and sustain mentoring experiences for the Native American students on the SDSM&T and OLC campuses in the preparation of the science fair projects; 3) Create for South Dakota a replicable model for collaboration between local school districts and higher education for the purpose of fielding teams of mentors to serve middle/high school students; 4) Engage participants in learning and using the Lakota language in their science projects, to enhance their understanding of traditional knowledge of the Earth and environment; and 5) Improve access for American Indians to the geosciences by connecting research to the immediate and tangible world.