Making a Difference: Mentoring School Biology Students.

This article focuses on the EnvironMentors Project based in Washington, D.C. wherein each student in the class was assigned a mentor to provide guidance on an individual science project. The key to the project's success, according to program director Susan Carlson, is the bond between mentors and students. Administered by the National Environmental Education and Training Foundation, the project connects scientists in Washington, D.C. with high school students who are interested in environmental science. In its 13-year history, more than 800 students have participated in the program. Mentors are usually staff scientists at government agencies, nonprofit groups, and private companies who share their time, meeting with their students one-on-one several time during the school year. With their mentors' support, students design and implement an experiment and write research papers, culminating in a science fair competition. The students also participate in a teach-in, going into elementary school classrooms to share what they have learned with their young counterparts. There is a strong emphasis on college and career exposure; students accompany mentors into their workplace for a firsthand look at a career in science, in addition to participating in college preparatory workshops. The program has been a driving force in increasing participation of underrepresented ethnic groups in the sciences, 90 percent of participating students are African-American.