Detroit Public Schools Highlight Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Programs as the Auto Show Launches

DETROIT, Jan. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- As the North American International Auto Show kicks off, Detroit Public Schools is highlighting its many Science, Technology, Engineering and Math programs, including:

• Detroit International Academy for Young Women has an all-girls competitive high school robotics team and Lego League for middle school.
• Davis Aerospace Technical High School prepares students for higher education while developing technical skills for aviation careers. Three Davis students completed their solo flight in a Cessna aircraft and are working toward their private pilot's certificate.
• Netbook computers are available for every student in grades K-12.
• To increase AP mathematics courses, DPS students can accelerate through the mathematics program by completing 2-years of math courses in 1-school year.  More than 100 students are in the Math, Science and Technology program at Martin Luther King Jr. High School.
• Hundreds of DPS K-12 students in 30-plus schools participate in STEM-related programs such as the Chess League, Academic Games™, and Robotics. 
• Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship has 38 STEM-field fellows from 4 universities under mentorship of DPS teachers at 14 schools.
• DPS has an ongoing participation in "A World in Motion" (AWIM) for 3rd and 5th graders (an SAE competition that is sponsored by GM); in a national pilot site for the new K-2 program.
• DPS partnered with the Engineering Society of Detroit and the DPS Foundation, allowing middle school students to participate in Future City, a competition promoting engineering and design skills as students create cities of the future.
• $30,000 in mini-grants for DPS teachers through the Detroit Mathematics and Science Center for supplies, field trips, guest speakers, and materials for Science Fair projects.
• Under Detroit Public Schools' five-year academic plan, instructional time in math (and reading) expanded to 90 minutes daily in K-8 and ninth graders receive double doses of Algebra I and English Language Arts courses.
• DAPCEP (Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program), which requires Science Fair participation, operates middle school-level programs in over 20 schools. The Science and Engineering Fair of Metro Detroit had a record number of participants at the session.

About DPS

DPS offers educational advantages to students throughout its 130 schools, including expanded time for reading and mathematics, algebra for 8th graders, 9 different languages, Advanced Placement courses at every high school, Fine Arts programs with instrumental music, vocal music and dance, 10 new state-of-the-art school buildings or major renovations along with millions of dollars in school building improvements.

Learn more at www.detroitk12.org
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SOURCE Detroit Public Schools