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Reflecting on 2017: Together ‘We’ve’ Succeeded in Helping Schools, Teachers and Students

NMSI Staff | December 31, 2017

St_Co_Listening_01.JPGLike so many others, we have spent time in recent weeks reflecting on what we accomplished in 2017 and planning for what we need to do in the next 12 months. The 2017-18 school year marks our 10th year of working with schools, teachers and students – and making big impacts through our work. We added more than 170 new partner schools for 2017-18 and provided students with the equivalent of 750 extra school days of study time with expert teachers in math, science and English. We’ve provided more than 18,000 hours of hands-on and engaging professional development to more than 1,000 teachers.
 
The work reflects the dedication we have to ensuring access and achievemenLTF Teachert to high-quality math, science and English courses for all students, particularly those furthest from opportunity. For us, “we" isn’t limited to NMSI’s year-round staff. "We" includes district and campus leaders at our College Readiness Program schools, as well as the teachers, mentors, training presenters, students, donors, education reform partners and advocates who recognize that STEM education is critical to helping students thrive and reach their highest potential.
 
"We" means people like you.
 
And while we quickly move to focus on the work ahead, it’s important to remember what we’ve done.

 
We helped:
  • Students earn more than 12,000 qualifying scores on AP math, science and English exams in 2017
  • African-American and Latino students increase their number of qualifying scores by 33 percent after one year in the program in 2017
  • First-year female students increase their qualifying scores by 41 percent in 2017
 
We heard:
  • "I have taught AP Calculus for 11 years, but I feel that I have learned more about AP Calculus and how to teach it than I have known in the previous 10 years. Thanks, NMSI for making me a better teacher.” Mary Lawhon, AP Calculus Teacher, Desert High School, Oakland, CA.
  • “The world is becoming more and more advanced — technologically, scientifically, everything. If we’re going to advance as a society, we need smart, motivated people." Katherine Gryctz, AP Chemistry Consultant, Eisenhower High School, Lawton, OK
  • “I was one of those that thought I wasn’t AP ready. What’s been most impactful for me has been the Saturday Study Sessions. They have experts there that break it down in different ways.” Javonnie Barrett, Student, High School for Youth and Community Development at Eramus, Brooklyn, NY
 
We discovered:
 
We have even more on tap for 2018, including:
  • A fierce resolve to begin eradicating STEM Deserts
  • Further increasing access and achievement in Computer Science
  • More personal connections with our fellow STEM advocates
 
If you're as excited about the future of education as we are, or you just want to stay in touch, make sure to sign up for our newsletter below. Thank you to everyone who continues to help us provide access to rigorous STEM education for all students.

We look forward to doing that and more in 2018.