ANSEP students go from eighth grade to a STEM BS degree in five years.

Hello and quyana for visiting our video! Since starting in 1995, the Alaska Native Science & Engineering program has effected systemic change in the hiring patterns of Alaska Natives in science and engineering by placing our students on a career path to leadership. ANSEP students at every level, kindergarten to PhD, are successful at rates far exceeding national and state numbers. We provide inspiration, guidance, and opportunity for students from over 100 Alaskan communities and work with nearly 3,000 Alaska Native middle school students, high school students, university students and ANSEP alumni. Since the start of COVID-19, we have implemented many successful distance learning changes. From building computers to graduating with a PhD, ANSEP students have succeeded despite being completely online!

ANSEP:

• improves academic outcomes,


• eliminates the need for university remediation and associated costs for government and families,


• increases retention,


• saves students and their families up to two years of college tuition and living expenses,


• saves the state millions in government funding by reducing time to degree,


• allows students to earn up to 50 university credits for a baccalaureate degree while in high school

Visit ansep.net to learn more!

What an impressive shift in multiple programs! I'm intrigued by the entire project and the multiple ways you're thinking about systemic change and equitable access for Alaskan Native youth. The investment of stakeholders at every level of the educational system seems to be a critical component of the program's success. What research or evaluation questions is your team most interested in investigating? Did any of those questions shift with the pandemic?

Thanks for sharing this project! I look forward to learning more at your website.

Exciting to learn about your project and how you are adapting to the limitations imposed by the pandemic. Which of these activities and approaches do you anticipate will continue after a return to in-person learning?

Hi, 

Remarkable story!  I'd like to know a little more about how the college credits are awarded — that is, what arrangements you have made with a college or colleges to give this credit, and what you had to do to satisfy their requirements?

 

Thanks for your note Brian.  Our students take take regular university classes taught by university professors for dual credit.  They are in the classroom with the general student population.  We work with our K8 students so they are ready for college algebra and the freshman writing class in 9th grade. ANSEP juniors in high school are taking differential equations.  This year we had students graduate from high school with more than 100 credits that count towards a STEM BS degree.  Families save three years or more of tuition.  The state saves three years of general fund.  You can lean more at ANSEP.net

Thanks for your note Brian.  Our students take take regular university classes taught by university professors for dual credit.  They are in the classroom with the general student population.  We work with our K8 students so they are ready for college algebra and the freshman writing class in 9th grade. ANSEP juniors in high school are taking differential equations.  This year we had students graduate from high school with more than 100 credits that count towards a STEM BS degree.  Families save three years or more of tuition.  The state saves three years of general fund.  You can lean more at ANSEP.net

This is an outstanding project! A few years back my Fab Lab helped start up a location out at Togiak in a Boys and Girls club - installing laser engravers, CNC's, digital embroidery machines and so on. I know it's a long shot but you haven't connected to any of those folks by chance have you? I imagine some of those kids have grown up to college age by now.

It's incredible to hear how this program supports students starting in kindergarten through college. So many of our projects target a specific age range or narrow topic. It must have been quite an undertaking to get that system in place. In the beginning of the video a lack of resources and infrastructure was noted in rural Alaska. Did that impact going virtual this past year for participants? Did they have sufficient internet access? If not, how did you address that issue?

Outstanding project. The project is very impressive. It is innovative and highly interactive. The students are engaged in project activities and are having fun. It is highly participatory.. This is what science learning is all about. I also like the fact that the activities are tied to NGSS. Good job PIs.

A great initiative. Very stimulating and fun.