Annual Report 2006
Strategic Step #8: Equip students before college.
Success story: Igniting a love for learning
On a daily basis, Melissa Haugen ’00 fights the stereotypes that science is too hard, too boring, or just for nerds. "I love to catch my students in a moment when they’re understanding a scientific concept they never thought they could grasp," says Haugen, an eighth-grade earth and physical science teacher at Hazel Park Middle School in St. Paul. "They get so excited when they see they can do it!" Despite Hazel Park’s limited funds, Melissa’s students are thriving, thanks to the basic hands-on demonstrations she learned at Bethel. "Bethel has top scientists who see science as evidence of God," reflects Haugen, who hopes to pass along that perspective. "Many of my students don’t know anyone who has gone to college, except their teachers. I try to give opportunities for them to see that college is within their grasp and that they can think like scientists."
Across the nation, many college applicants are showing up unprepared for the rigors of higher education, even though they are capable intellectually. While the causes are debated, the trend is taking a toll in science and technology especially. In Japan and China 66 percent and 59 percent of undergraduates, respectively, receive their degrees in science and engineering, compared with 32 percent in the United States. To add to these challenges, the fastest-growing segment of our region’s population is the least likely to attempt college. Bethel is among schools taking action to bridge these gaps in achievement and vision.
Bethel Steps Ahead
- In the sciences, Bethel is leading the charge for improvement in how children are taught. Our award-winning science faculty are heavily involved in community education and service. But more important, they equip future teachers—education majors at Bethel—with methods that help kids comprehend science basics.
- To help high school students apply that knowledge, Bethel has hosted the Minnesota Regional Science Olympiad for 10 years. This exciting competition brings about a dozen high school student science teams and their teachers to campus each year to compete for both individual and school medals.
- The Office of Admissions for the College of Arts & Sciences is host to events that bring students on campus starting in elementary school. More than 120 fifth graders recently toured Bethel from Crestview Elementary, a school in a community with a high drop-out rate. "I can’t wait to graduate and go to this college," one student was heard to say.
- Affiliations with other urban programs such as Admission Possible and Minority Education Partnership also encourage college discovery and preparedness through tours of Bethel.
Other steps ahead at Bethel include:
- Summer sport camps drawing students of all athletic abilities and ages to
campus to hone their skills in a Christian environment. Bethel extends
scholarships to children from the Frogtown-Summit/University
community of St. Paul. - "The Climb" for prospective first-generation college students to learn about financial aid and academic help available to them.
- "Introduction to the Liberal Arts," a class orienting freshmen to campus
resources and cultivating the development of skills needed to be a successful college student.
- Summer sport camps drawing students of all athletic abilities and ages to
|
We are character-builders – concerned with personal and spiritual formation.
On their tour of the Bethel campus, students of Crestview Elementary gained motivation to finish high school and dream beyond. |
Strategic Steps