SECOND ANNUAL SUMMITFEBRUARY 8-10, 2005

Washington D.C..Margaret Tucker

DAPCEPwww.dapcep.org

RECRUITMENT…RETENTION

DAPCEP BackgroundDAPCEP Background

The Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAPCEP) was founded in 1976 . It is a nationally recognized leader that provides engineering, technology, mathematics and science enrichment courses for minority students. African American and Latino American students and professionals are dramatically underrepresented in these professions.

DAPCEP BackgroundDAPCEP Background

• DAPCEP has since grown to reach over 6,300 students in 2002 through a large and active parent group, 62 Detroit Public Schools, 10 colleges and universities and 6 corporations.

At DAPCEP’s Open House, more then 5,000 parents and students crowd a convention center hall in Detroit to sign up and learn about the intensive, extracurricular courses offered by DAPCEP

The DAPCEP Model

StudentsParents

InstructorsIndustry Partners

Community Partners

Detroit Public Schools

Eligibility Criteria

• Be a motivated, current 7th or 9th grader

• Have at least a 2.7 grade point average and a “B” average or above in mathematics and science.

• Possess a strong interest in computers and information technology.

• Willingness to commit for two years-Spring, Summer and Fall.

Classes For 7th Grade StudentsYear 1:

Saturday Engineering for the Environment

Ford Motor Company

Computer Programming & Algorithms

University of Michigan-Dearborn

Summer Engineering A Paper Vehicle

University of Detroit Mercy

Year 2:

Saturday High Fives: Mathematics and Information Technology

Lawrence Technology University

The World of Physics

Lawrence Technology University

Summer Engineering Enrichment Program

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Classes For 9th Grade StudentsYear 1:

Saturday Web Page Design

University of Michigan-Dearborn

Technically Speaking

Lawrence Technology University

Summer Laboratory Science with Computer Integration

University of Michigan-Dearborn

Year 2:

Saturday Mechantronics

University of Detroit Mercy

Soft Side of Engineering

Ford Motor Company

Summer Engineering Intensive Workshop

Michigan Technological University

•MAILINGS

•WEBSITE

•PARENTS WORKSHOP

•INTERVIEWS

•SELECTION

Recruitment ProcessRecruitment Process

Recruitment ProcessRecruitment Process

Mailings To:

•School Superintendents in Southeastern Michigan•Parents of current DAPCEP 7th and 9th participants•All middle and high school Principals in Detroit Public School System

Website•Information and application available on the DAPCEP website.

Parent Workshop•The First DAPCEP/ITEST Parental Workshop was held in conjunction with the DAPCEP Open House. The focus was to prepare interested parents and students with interviewing skills, to answer questions and to schedule interviews.

Interviews•Parents and students students were interviewed, together and separately.

•Interviewers were trained so that the same questions were asked.

Recruitment Process

RetentionRetention

Due to DAPCEP’s reputation of high quality classes and the successes of our students (parents), we had to develop a waiting list for the 7th grade cohorts. Ninth grade students were more challenging and a few wanted to find employment during the summer. Parents who have not had that much experience with the DAPCEP program, let the child make the decision about continuing in the program.

Ninth grade Hispanic students have presented more of a challenge, and we look forward to working with the Churches in the Hispanic/Latino community.

Parental Involvement

• Orientation

• Parent Workshops

•Interviewing Skills

•Careers

•Mentoring

•Learning Styles

•Computers

Parent WorkshopsParent Workshops

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned•Parental involvement and parental communications are fundamental to the success of the program. Parents are very responsive to workshops, mailings, newsletters, the website and phone calls.•Hispanic students participation is directly related to parents and community involvement. DAPCEP/ITEST utilized Hispanic organizations and schools in the community, but will focus on the Churches in the Hispanic communities.•Because the students take the same classes together for two years, they have become very social able. Instructors need to be aware and develop strategies.