As some of you know, I did not grow up
in upstate New York. I actually grew up in Northeast Philadelphia.
I’d say it’s one of the nicer and safer areas of the city but it is
nonetheless a part of the city.
That means, it is part of the
Philadelphia school district. I went to some of best public schools
there were in the area but they were still underfunded, overcrowded and at times
depressing. There weren’t nearly as many opportunities as there are
in more well off neighborhoods and the drop out rate was high. Some
kids went home to dangerous areas of the city or broken homes. School
was their only sanctuary.
Parent involvement is typically lower
in less fortunate areas. Not for lack of caring… try holding down
three jobs just to make ends meet. School and after school activities
are lifesavers for your household.
I graduated from Northeast High School
(NEHS) in 2005 and it truly had many unique programs. There was a
culinary department, a day care where students could work and a
program for the mentally handicapped. Honestly, I’m not exactly sure
what has or hasn’t been cut but I know many are gone.
One program I know has been cut is
project SPARC, which is why I was inspired to write this blog
post. I just found out a couple weeks ago and it was heart breaking. I couldn’t stand the thought that something that defined my high
school career and prepared me for college, as well as my current
career, will no longer be around for future students to experience.
Hopefully, Jessica Hattina, the current
robotics manager of the project will not mind if I steal her Facebook comment that
answers the question, “What is project SPARC?”. She put it so
well, I don’t think I need to go over it again…
“…SPARC [Space Research Center] originated in
1962 by Mr. Robert A. G. Montgomery and was designed to introduce the
study of aerospace research to high school students. These students
designed and built a three-man space capsule mock-up to test the
student astronauts ability to handle the space environment. With the
help of a grant from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Heart Association,
the program purchased electronic equipment and began to study in
flight control instrumentation. Project SPARC was so highly
recognized for its work that, during the summer of 1963, NASA invited
18 SPARC students to tour the Marshall Space Flight Center.
After President George W. Bush’s
announced his vision for the Space Exploration, the project was then
updated to simulate the NASA Constellation program and its mission to
return to the moon. In 2009 Project SPARC [had their] first
[simulated] Constellation mission [in which] six students [were sent]
to the moon and establish[ed] a two-module lunar habitat. SPARC
facilities include the ‘Shuttle Orbiter mock-up built by the
students, [an] actual Apollo training capsule from NASA, an eight
station mission control, a movie and animation learning center and
electronics and a robotics laboratory…”
What makes SPARC so special? It’s one of
a kind; students from all over the city apply to NEHS’s magnet
program to participate. It provides a chance to learn engineering
skills and has produced several generations of engineers and
scientists that are contributing to the scientific community
everyday. It gives those kids that are shunned for being geeks a
place to go and be creative. Not to mention it’s space related and… I love space!
Now that I have shared information
about this amazing project that has lost all funding, I just want to
explore why programs like this are so important for students
everywhere.
First off, students in inner cities are
already at a disadvantage. There parents typically don’t have much
money to spare and college can seem like a far away dream. These
types of programs make students stand out when they applying to college and other higher education programs.
Extracurricular activities, especially those related to a student’s field of interest and those in which a student has held a leadership
position, can mean the difference between acceptance and rejection.
Extracurricular activities teach
students things they can’t get in the classroom. Having a
common goal with those who are passionate about things you are is
very powerful. It allows for more
creativity, team work and a real sense of responsibility.
Some studies have shown that these
programs can help students reduce stress. Whether that comes from it
being a physically active sport or from it being about doing something they enjoy,
reduced stress in this competitive world is always a positive thing.
Student can show off talents that they
might otherwise not be able to. The fact is, not everyone meant to go
to college and work a nine to five job. Programs teaching cooking
skills, mechanical skills and sports can be just as helpful as math
and science in getting into advanced education programs. These careers have great pay and can provide someone with satisfaction in life.
These programs keep kids busy and off the streets.
In cities this is especially important. Everyone wants to feel they
belong somewhere. Providing positive environments gives them a place
to focus their energy in a positive way, as opposed to getting into
gangs, drugs and other risky behaviors.
Perhaps most importantly, statistics
show that students who participate in such activities do better in
school. This prompts higher self-esteem and sense of accomplishment.
So, hopefully this will convince you to
join the campaign to save project SPARC located at:
https://www.facebook.com/saveSPARC. No matter where you are from, where you went to school or where your children went to school, taking a stand against the discontinuation of these programs helps children everywhere.