STEP (Sciences and Tribes Educational Partnership)

STEP is a tribal-UW partnership. During 1999-2000, the STEP project’s pilot year, the UW is working with the Peninsula Quinault Tribe and Taholah School District to incorporate five basic elements of STEP into the Taholah science education program: involving families and the community; making science education experiential; placing science lessons in cultural contexts; making early contact with university environments and mentoring by peers. Program elements include developing and implementing curricula and programs that meet the needs of Native American tribes and prepare students for post-secondary studies; developing and implementing a summer academic program on campus for departments to support opportunities for summer academic and work experiences for STEP graduates; and designing and implementing work study opportunities for high school students. The 1999-2000 pilot includes 10 students who will participate in a hatchery work-study program and eight who will participate in a summer institute on campus. The plan is to expand the program to include two more tribes in 2000-2001 and three the next year, for a total of six tribes by the year 2001-2002.

(last updated Thursday, December 23 1999)

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