SOU Hosts the Oregon State University Science and Math Investigative Learning Experience
The Science and Math Investigative Learning Experience (S.M.I.L.E.) program serves underrepresented students, from kindergarten through high school, providing opportunities to increase their success in STEM. Southern Oregon University hosted over 100 students from seven local elementary schools on March 16th for the Elementary Challenge Day. The schools included: Chiloquin ES, Allen Dale ES, Highland ES, Parkside ES, Redwood ES, Riverside ES, and Jackson ES. The SMILE program offers an inclusive community, with high expectations of the students involved, fostering positive attitudes, and aims to provide continuous improvement of their skills throughout participation in the program.
The program started at Oregon State University in 1988 as an afterschool enrichment program. Many of the participants are from minority backgrounds, have low household incomes, or are first-generation students. This program enhances mindsets, encouraging the children to believe that they are able to attend college and can strive to participate in a career in science, technology, engineering, or math. This also increases the high school graduation rates for these students.
At Southern Oregon University, the Computer Science Club and Chemistry Club, all current undergraduates, ran activities alongside the S.M.I.L.E. program. CS Club president Harley Chappell is currently studying computer science with a focus on artificial intelligence, cyber security, cloud computing, and data science. Chemistry Club President Kalea Adams is a senior studying chemistry and will attend the University of Oregon electrochemistry master’s program after she graduates.
Harley Chappell, Nole Stites, and Ian Ingram were all proctors for the Computer Science Club activity. They showed students what they could do using the Scratch website that would allow them to create their own paths of creativity. They showed the students functionalities of loops, movements, and sprites. When students wanted more, they continued with a planned “sample program” with which students enthusiastically followed along. The club’s session allowed students to utilize their creative skills and see how programming can be both fun and unique, as the fun of Computer Science and programming is often sometimes underestimated.
- “The SMILE program has been close to me since I was a kid. I grew up in Corvallis and I personally know the people who started the program. I was excited last year to see that they offered my Computer Science Club the chance to participate and the then president took the opportunity and I joined with excitement. SMILE is a very important event for these students as they do not get much opportunity elsewhere to learn about science topics in person. The value this brings is immense and deserves to be a yearly occurrence here at SOU.”
– Harley Chappell
Kalea Adams, president of the SOU Chemistry Club, organized a demonstration similar to the club’s annual event known as Fall Into Chemistry. She and club members Karson McCoy and Patrick Latham asked questions throughout their demos in order to keep the students interacting and invested in the variety of reactions performed on stage. Two such demos were “colored flames” and “methane bubbles,” where they used various metal salts to create flames in a rainbow of colors, and ignited flammable gas bubbles held in their hands. Along with their faculty advisor, there were four chemistry club members working together as a team to present to the S.M.I.L.E. students.
- “I’m really glad that the SMILE program organizers were flexible and able to switch us to a show format instead of a rotation. This was both my first time organizing and participating. The kids seemed to really enjoy our segment, and it was very fun to have such a genuinely responsive and curious audience!”
– Kalea Adams
Our SOU students did a great job sparking interest in their areas of study for these local elementary schoolers. According to OSU Precollege Programs Assistant Becca Harver, “The students enjoyed the experience from beginning to end and were enthralled by the activities run by the Chemistry Club and Computer Science Club! They also enjoyed touring campus and had many questions about college life, (especially the dorms). The pizza lunch was a big hit and helped keep the kids energized. I greatly appreciate this group’s assistance with coordination and look forward to working together again next year!” Amongst these youngsters from across the Rogue Valley, we may have future students and scholars who will be inspired to explore the sciences here at SOU and beyond.
Sources
- About Us Oregon State University Science & Math Investigative Learning Experiences
- What are SMILE Clubs? Video by Precollege Programs – Oregon State University
- “The SMILE Program,” KATU News segment, September 12, 1997
- OSU’s SMILE Program celebrates 25 years, national award by Oregon State University Newsroom
- Here comes the boom: ‘Exploding stuff can be fun’ by Ashland News
