GRAND RAPIDS – A growing number of students in Michigan are being exposed to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) concepts in a fun and relatable way, thanks to a unique program developed by Davenport University’s College of Urban Education (CUE).

The Future Urban STEM Education (FUSE) program brings interested middle and high school students together from community organizations and participating schools, like Grand Rapids Public Schools, to explore their interest in STEM and teaching.

Fun Activities, Experiments To Expose Students To STEM

Under the guidance of Davenport’s CUE and teachers from participating school districts, FUSE Clubs are formed to give students a greater understanding of STEM concepts through fun activities and experiments. It also exposes them to in-demand STEM-related careers.

“The FUSE program empowers middle and high school students to explore real-world STEM challenges and careers in teaching through hands-on, interest-driven learning that builds confidence, creativity and collaboration,” said Meaghan Polega, EdD, College of Urban Education associate department chair. “The program offers equitable access to future-ready skills and inspires the next generation of innovators by making STEM concepts culturally responsive, relevant, engaging and fun.”

It’s a program that positively impacts and engages students at both levels. High school FUSE members meet with their teacher to review modules provided by the CUE and create lesson plans and activities, which are then presented to the middle school members. The high schoolers benefit from the guided exploration of diverse STEM concepts while building confidence in their presentation skills and experiencing what it might be like to be a teacher. The middle school members benefit from the hands-on activities presented to them in a relatable and engaging way.

Davenport’s College of Urban Education partnered with the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Technology to create the first two volumes of educational modules for the FUSE Clubs. Volumes three and beyond are created by Bachelor of Science Urban STEM students and National Science Foundation Robert NOYCE Scholar students as part of their capstone experiences.

Ready-Made Education Modules

These ready-made educational modules include problem-solving and scientific inquiry, such as exploring urban farming, examining water pollution in the community and studying robotics and principles of kinetic energy.

In one activity, students explore and analyze chemical reactions by creating sidewalk chalk as a product of a reaction. They then use the chalk to explain the reaction. Another activity explores the physics of sound waves and sound wave energy using a variety of musical instruments, which the students use to create their own advertising jingle for a real or fictional product.

Davenport’s first FUSE Club started in 2018 at the Urban League of West Michigan, and that number has grown to include 20 partner school districts across the state.

Grand Rapids Public Schools became involved in 2019 with its first FUSE club at University Preparatory Academy, followed by Southwest Middle and High Academia Bilingue in 2023.

Charlotte Cabello-Rivera teaches biology and human anatomy at Southwest High Academia Bilingue and has been involved in the FUSE program for one year.  She currently has 12 students in her high school FUSE Club with whom she meets every two weeks to create activities that can be implemented with the middle school members.

Cabello-Rivera said the FUSE program is special because of the way it is designed. “I love it when my students discuss activities and implement solutions to real-world problems, and I love watching them debate and generate ideas for mentoring the middle school students,” she said. “It’s an experience that really moves me and motivates me to continue my educational career.”

FUSE Members Can Enroll In Dual Enrollment

Cabello-Rivera said high school FUSE members can enroll in dual enrollment courses and receive college credit from Davenport, which is a big bonus.

One student in Cabello-Rivera’s FUSE class is an eleventh grader, Maria Pacheco, who became involved in the program to inspire younger kids and to help grow her passion for STEM. “In one experiment, we got to see what tree buds, moss and leaves look like under a microscope, and the kids were so excited,” she said. “ I’d like to be an elementary teacher someday and hope I can create that kind of excitement with my students while learning about STEM.”

Several of Pacheco’s classmates and FUSE members said they love working with the middle schoolers because it’s fun and helps to enhance their communication skills.

Seventh-grade science teacher Emily Hollingsworth teaches at Southwest Middle Academia Bilingue and has partnered with Rivera to facilitate the FUSE Club for two years. She currently has 14 middle school students in the club.

“The FUSE program allows older students to serve in more of a mentorship role for the younger students, and it’s neat to see the high school students lead the lessons and become role models,” said Hollingsworth. “I’ve enjoyed having the high schoolers in my classroom. Not only are they able to assist with hands-on STEM projects, giving my students more individualized support, but they also bring fresh ideas and perspectives, and my students like learning from the older kids.”

Hollingsworth said one of the most rewarding parts of the experience has been witnessing the growth of the high school students. “At the beginning of the year, many of the high school students were hesitant and unsure about leading the lessons, but by the end of the year, they were confidently leading full lessons and truly stepping into their roles as teachers,” she said.

Davenport is working to bring the FUSE program to more schools across Michigan. School districts interested in partnering with Davenport to form a FUSE club should contact Polega at [email protected] for more information.

About Davenport University: Founded in 1866, Davenport is a private, nonprofit university serving about 5,000 students at campuses across Michigan and online. With tuition among the lowest of all private universities in the state, Davenport provides high academic quality, small class sizes, conveniently located campuses, faculty with real-world experience and more than 100 degree and certificate programs, including the online, bilingual program Casa Latina.

For more information, visit: davenport.edu.