Grand Valley Magazine Winter 2015 - (Page 13)

Regional Math and Science Center Celebrating 25 years of providing K-12 programs, resources by Matthew Makowski rand Valley's Regional Math and Science Center developed from a growing need in West Michigan for excitement, engagement and additional resources in science and mathematics K-12 education 25 years ago. The center now provides such resources and programs to about 6,000 students and more than 600 teachers in 42 school districts in Kent, Ottawa and Montcalm counties each year. While the center's success continues to grow, it blossomed from humble beginnings. In recent years, the RMSC has developed multiple new programs such as Super Science Saturday, G3 Camp, Math-Team-Matics and sHaPe Camp, but it was the annual Science Olympiad Tournament that acted as the starting point for the success of the center's initiatives. G Students test their 'Mission Possible' device during the 1994 Region 12 Michigan Science Olympiad Tournament. Science Olympiad Mary Ann Sheline, RMSC director emerita, said in the early 1980s during the university's initial push to provide resources in K-12 science and mathematics, Grand Valley's Science and Mathematics Division At left, Mary Ann Sheline, Regional Math and Science Center director emerita, greets Pam Showalter, a former student employee, at the 1996 Padnos Hall Open House. The event celebrated the opening of the Padnos Hall of Science. only sponsored an open house science day, several "calculator and computer competitions" and coordinated student visits and tours of the Allendale Campus. "There was no formal scheduling procedure so teachers connected with their favorite professors or departments to arrange for student visits and campus tours," Sheline said. In 1983, the division attempted to bring more organization to its efforts with the introduction of the Science Olympiad Tournament, which now brings hundreds of middle and high school students to the Allendale Campus each year to compete in a series of team-based interscholastic competitions in biology, earth science, chemistry, physics and technology. At that time, Michigan became one of only two states in the U.S. to hold a Science Olympiad competition. Science Olympiad is an international nonprofit organization devoted to improving the quality of science education by increasing student interest and providing recognition for outstanding achievements in science education by both students and teachers. Doug Kindschi, former dean of the Science and Mathematics Division, capitalized on this new event in 1984 by hiring Sheline to coordinate and organize the event to be hosted by Grand Valley. It was a decision, Kindschi said, was one of his greatest accomplishments while working with the RMSC in its earlier years. "Mary Ann had the skills to lead the Science Olympiad Tournament because of her experience teaching at the high school level," said Kindschi. "Her 13 Grand Valley Magazine

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Grand Valley Magazine Winter 2015

Campus News
Athletics
Donor Impact
Arts
RMSC celebrates silver anniversary
Get a job
Another man's treasure
YGR
Research
Sustainability
Q&A George Grant Jr.
Off the Path
Focal Point
Alumni News

Grand Valley Magazine Winter 2015