North Berwyn Enrichment Program Provides Learning Opportunities by Shelley Titzer

Last fall I attended the joint All Berwyn Committee (ABC)/BerwynCARES meeting that featured Berwyn teachers presenting some of the innovative programming in Berwyn schools. All of the presentations were interesting, but one group of teachers and their program stood out for me as particularly impressive. Teachers, Jason Crowley and Lindsay Mynaugh, told the audience about the Illinois Math and Science Academy (IMSA) Excellence 2000+ program at Lincoln Middle School.

Excellence 2000+ is an enrichment program for middle school students who are talented, interested and motivated in math and science.

6th-8th graders must apply and be selected into the IMSA sponsored program that meets every Monday from 3:30-5:30 and occasional Saturdays. A math and science teacher are trained in the curriculum through IMSA, a residential college preparatory school in Aurora. Units of study include:

Understanding Scale and Proportion: Earth's Place in the Solar System
Seeing Math and Science in a New Light: Reflections and Symmetry
Rock 'n' Roll: Tectonics and Seismicity in Illinois
Your senses: Pathways to Learning
Investigating Chaos Theory
Crime Scene Investigation

During the "Scale and Proportion" unit, students walked the solar system to scale by starting at the sun (Lincoln School at 16th and Elmwood) and walking to Pluto (about 16th and Clinton). Other activities were described as "hands-on/minds-on" with problem centered and inquiry based lessons. Last year was the 4th successful year in the program which provided opportunities for about 30 middle school students.

Opportunities for the students include visits to the Illinois Math and Science Academy, Saturday field trips, IMSA Summer Programs, Problem of the Month, and a Virtual Online Competition.

Upon graduation, some students may ultimately apply to IMSA for high school. Currently, there are Lincoln Middle School graduates at IMSA!

This program is one example of the innovative and challenging programs that are offered to Berwyn students.