"The Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky will welcome its first crop of the state's brightest high school math and science scholars to the campus of Western Kentucky University this fall, in hopes that their growing brainpower will one day pay dividends for the state.
The program aims to attract 120 academically elite juniors and seniors from across the state to live and attend classes on the university campus starting in August, with tuition, room and board costs covered through $2.8 million in funding allocated by the Kentucky General Assembly last year. The state also provided $500,000 for the academy's student recruitment efforts, in addition to early funding to launch the program and renovate WKU's Schneider Hall as the students' living quarters.
The Kentucky academy represents the nation's 14th state-funded residential school for advanced high school students geared toward increasing proficiencies in mathematics, science, engineering and technology.
Research done by states with similar programs has shown success in building higher numbers of math and science professionals for those states, according to Tim Gott, the Kentucky academy's director. North Carolina's 26-year-old program, one of the nation's oldest, has seen a 125 percent increase in the number of engineers and scientists coming from the state since its inception. Also, while about 50 percent of students leave the state immediately after completing the program to pursue further professional and educational goals, roughly two-thirds of them eventually return to live in North Carolina.
The Texas program, on which Kentucky's academy is modeled, has experienced a similar return rate to the state, Gott said.
"This is an opportunity to take a group of students and empower them," said Gott, who has 22 years of experience in education, most recently as an elementary school principal in Elizabethtown. "And it's really an investment, because if you think about it, if we can infuse them to do thingswho knows what they can change?"
The potential for increasing the pool of math and science talent in the state has also sparked the interest of some Kentucky businesses, which have already stepped up to support the new Academy with funds to help spread the word and build interest in the program across the state.
"We are very interested in the education component here in the state of Kentucky, because we have such untapped potential in this state," said Kim Menke, manager of community relations for Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, which has pledged $100,000 to the academy over the next four years.
"Education is the key for workforce and workforce development," Menke said. "(The technology changes) are happening at an exponential rate, so making sure that we keep up with that trend is so critical."
As more baby boomers in the state prepare for retirement, having a ready and educated workforce benefits Toyota, as well as its suppliers and the overall business community in the state, according to Menke. That sentiment was echoed by Jim Vitak, a spokesperson for Ashland, Inc., which has donated $10,000 to the program.
"As a global, diversified, chemical company, we recognize the need for employees who are proficient in math and science. We believe WKU's Academy for high school juniors and seniors will help fill that need," Vitak said.
The program's statewide emphasis also adds to its appeal by helping to build a more diverse workforce, said Menke.
"We're trying to make sure that this is geographically Kentucky," Gott said. "It's a Kentucky program. Students in Prestonsburg and Pikeville are just as important to us as the students in Bowling Green and Glasgow. Whatever county and whatever city, we want students to know that this is an opportunity for them."
Prospective students must apply to the academy by March 15, and as of mid-February, 45 students had started the application process, according to Gott. More information and application details for the Academy of Mathematics and Science residential program are available on the Web at www.wku.edu/academy, or interested students can call (270) 745-6323.
In addition to the statewide residential academy, other campuses in the area are increasing their efforts to attract high school students to science and technology careers. This June, Eastern Kentucky University will launch its EKU Mathematics and Science Academy, a week-long summer program for 25-30 high-performing high school juniors and seniors. The program, which will allow students to work together with the university's science and mathematics faculty, will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily on June 4-8.
"We want to promote math and science in the state of Kentucky because some much of the economy is dependent upon that here," said Kathy Williams, the program coordinator.
The cost for the EKU summer program this year is $150 for students, but Williams said they hope to develop possible scholarship opportunities in the future. The application deadline for EKU's summer program is April 16.
For more information on the EKU Mathematics and Science Academy summer program or to apply, students can check the Web site at www.msa.eku.edu or contact Williams at (859) 622-8860.