CLUES Project Website

A Website for CLUES Families

UPCOMING EVENTS

Live Animal Center Weekend
at The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
Saturday, November 24
10:00AM-5:00PM
Registration Closes on November 20

Keep your eyes peeled all day as animals (and their handlers) roam the halls for up close and personal animal encounters.
Come check out some of the wildest foods we feed the Academy's live animals.
During live shows, get the behind-the-scenes scoop on our critters.
Stop by our "Ask the Keeper" booth and get some answers to your pet-related questions.

Make and take a craft that helps you figure out what some of our critters need to be healthy and happy.

Pre-registration required.
For reservations, CLICK HERE
or call: 856.365.0352 x7115.
Registration closes on November 20. NO registrations will be taken after that time.

ABOUT CLUES

Communities of Learning for Urban Environments and Science (CLUES) is a 5-year program that focuses on teaching science to families in communities of the Philadelphia-Camden region. It is a collaboration between the New Jersey Academy for Aquatic Sciences, The Franklin Institute Science Museum, the Philadelphia Zoo, the Academy of Natural Sciences, and ten Community Based Organizations (CBOs). The CBOs, our diverse community partners, include the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, LEAP Academy Charter School, the Indochinese American Council, Congreso de Latinos Unidos, Norris Square Neighborhood Project, Folk Arts Cultural Treasures (FACTS) Charter School, Imani Education Circle Charter School, Falomi Club/Camp Fire USA, Youth Service, Inc., and Puerto Rican Unity for Progress, Inc. This project builds upon the previous work of Philadelphia-Camden Informal Science Education Collaborative (PISEC) and its Community Ambassadors for Science Exploration (CASE) program.

The goals of the CLUES project include:

creating a new model for community-led science learning and environmental action for families;
developing a training program to build educational leadership within the CBOs;
empowering CBO-based educators to direct the focus and content of science programming; and
supporting ongoing collaboration among families, community-based education leaders, and museums.

To achieve these goals, museum professionals train qualified community members with the necessary skills to run science workshops and plan events through an intensive Apprentice program. The Apprentices, in turn, train part-time CBO-based Presenters to become workshop leaders. Apprentices and Presenters are involved in family programming, including workshops and family events at the museums, local outdoor activities and community workshops, and take home activities.

"In Their Own Voices" tells the story of fully engaged individuals who had participated in PISEC programs over the years and seeks to understand what made them become so involved. We found that they are not linked by a demographic category like mother's education or science background. Rather, they are creative, intelligent, resourceful people who saw what this program could do for their families. They are very different from one another, and that is where the idea for the "In Their Own Voices" book was born.

"Museum/Community Partnerships: Lessons Learned from the Bridges Conference" presents the results of 2008 conference that explored how museums and other learning institutions and community organizations (CBOs) can work together towards a shared vision of engaging underserved families in enrichment activities. The BRIDGES conference brought together museum and community pairs from 25 partnerships to explore best practices for developing and sustaining these innovative programs. The conference provided opportunities for participants to meet others engaged in similar efforts, to share triumphs and tragedies, and to build an ongoing community of practice.

This project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0840230. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.