The Kapi`olani Community College (KCC) science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) Summer Bridge Program is an intensive 4-week program that brings together Junior and Senior high school students, college student peer mentors, and college faculty to help students prepare for the rigor of college math and science.

The Summer Bridge Program ran from June 12 – July 7, and was attended by 23 Native Hawaiian students from 16 local high schools. High school 11th and 12th graders were engaged in multiple activities designed to promote group involvement, revisit and strengthen personal knowledge in math and science and to instill individual confidence.

The program ran Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with a two-hour math preparation class and an hour of collaborative study. Students were also introduced to science software such as Autocad™ design and video production, STEM career fields in Hawai`i and abroad, and undergraduate research opportunities.

Each afternoon students worked on a STEM project such the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) “Sea Perch” underwater robot.

Of the eleven 12th graders who attended the 2006 STEM Summer Bridge Program nine students have been attending KCC in Fall 2006 and two students have been attending UH at Manoa. Of the 11th graders who attended the program all have made a verbal commitment to attend KCC in Fall 2007 and a few have expressed an interest in KCC’s running start and early enrollment programs.

Staff