The background
According to an April 16 news release, this is the first grant the foundation has awarded SAMSAT. The program will train 12 teachers over one year in methods of project-based learning, including three teachers with prior experience who will also serve as mentors.
The release states that, with a focus on assisting educators who serve underrepresented populations via Title I schools, the program is designed to offer professional development and a comprehensively unique experience.
Representatives for the Firstmark Foundation said professional development opportunities are limited and usually are too expensive for educators, especially up-and-coming teachers, to pursue.
Foundation representatives said this educator fellows program, using project-based learning, will help teachers with real-world transition, including giving each participating teacher the opportunity to make two visits to SAMSAT with their students, where they will get direct aid in integrating new approaches into daily classroom lessons.
Located at Port San Antonio—formerly Kelly Air Force Base—SAMSAT features exhibits that chronicle the evolution of scientific and technological innovation and research in San Antonio.
What they’re saying
Marisa Pérez-Díaz, the foundation’s vice president of impact and marketing, said the fellow program is a forward-thinking initiative that creates pathways for educator success. SAMSAT officials shared Pérez-Díaz’s sentiment.
“Firstmark’s support for the SAMSAT Educator Fellows Program will further connect us to teachers who are preparing the next generation of scientists, researchers and STEM professionals,” SAMSAT founder and CEO David Monroe said in a statement.
