[UNIVERSITY LETTERHEAD] [DATE] Principal’s Name High School Address 1 Address 2 Dear _______: Welcome to EnvironMentors 2011-12 program. The purpose of the letter is to outline services and products the [HOST CHAPTER UNIVERISTY] will offer EnvironMentors partner high school in the 2011-12 academic year. The core EnvironMentors model includes matching underrepresented high school students in one-on-one mentoring relationships with faculty, graduate, and undergraduate students from host universities, and with environmental professionals working at government agencies, NGOs, and businesses. Students and mentors apply the scientific method to develop experimental research projects on an environmental topic based on students’ personal interests. Students present their research projects to judges at Chapter Fairs. Winning students from each Chapter then compete at the National EM Fair held annually in May in Washington, DC. EnvironMentors was launched in 1992 as a Washington, DC community-based environmental mentoring program. EnvironMentors joined the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) in 2006 to scale up as a national, university-based chapter program in which participating universities partner with local high schools and teachers to carry out EnvironMentors with a select cohort of students. Enclosed you will find the following attachments outlining services and products that [HOST UNIVERSITY] will provide its partner high school this year: 1. Attachment I: Services and Products Provided to Partner High School 2. Attachment II: EnvironMentors Partner High School Program Commitments We hope you will join us in an exciting endeavor to support students from underrepresented backgrounds in your community achieve an increased level of interest and preparation in environmentally related science fields. Your signature to this Letter of Agreement confirms your commitment to taking full advantage of the resources our university will provide to a cohort of students at your high school. Sincerely, __________________________ [Chapter Director Name] [Title]
Attachment I Services and Products Provided to Partner High School 2011-12 Academic Year The following are the services and products that will be provided by our university. 1. Program management team consisting of a Chapter Director, Chapter Coordinator, and mentors. 2. Match student participants in a one-to-one mentorship with faculty, undergraduate, or graduate student, or environmental professional. 3. Support students as they conduct experimental science research including monthly skills building workshops designed to walk student through the scientific process. 4. Planning and coordination of a variety of field trips to raise the interest level of participating students in nature, the environment, and environmentally related college degrees and careers. 5. Exposure to university life through library and laboratory visits and university campus tours. 6. Mentee training workshop for participating high school students, supported by National Mentoring Resources Center. 7. Access to the private EnvironMentors Online Community Website with project management and social networking platforms developed for students and mentors to help them connect with experts in the field. 8. Updated 2011-12 Student – Mentor Manual delivered through the online EnvironMentors Community and via CD-ROM. 9. All expense paid trip for 3 top-winning students from your chapter to compete at the 2011-12 EnvironMentors Fair and Awards Ceremony scheduled Wednesday, May 16, 2012. 10. The opportunity for top 3 students to compete and win fifteen student scholarships valued at $1,000, $750, and $500, as well as one $10,000 scholarship for one outstanding student who has participated in EnvironMentors for at least two years.
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Attachment II EnvironMentors Partner High School Program Commitments 2011-12 Academic Year We kindly ask that as a partner high school you commit to the following: 1. Identify a lead partner teacher who will work closely with the Chapter Coordinator to identify a student cohort of at least 15 students. 2. Provide space/place for participating students and partner teacher to host EnvironMentors meetings. 3. Ensure that students participate in monthly skills building workshops hosted at university. 4. Support students as they upload personal profiles and project topic information on the Online Community website. 5. Assist the Chapter Coordinator in obtaining parental permission slips from all participating students under the age of 18 for program research and field trips. 6. Assist Chapter Coordinator in administering Pre and Post Program Student Surveys at the beginning and conclusion of the program. 7. Participation of top three winning students in end of year focus groups, held in conjunction with National Fair and Awards Ceremony.
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