Syracuse Research Corp. donates science equipment to Blodgett School as part of collaboration with SU, Syracuse City School District

Syracuse Research Corp. donates science equipment to Blodgett School as part of collaboration with SU, Syracuse City School DistrictDecember 28, 2007Sara Millersemortim@syr.edu

Children attending the Syracuse City School District’s (SCSD) Blodgett Elementary School will benefit from newly donated science equipment, thanks to Syracuse Research Corp. (SRC).

SRC, a not-for-profit research and development leader in the science, technology and information field, is providing the science equipment through its mentoring program that helps sixth- and eighth-grade students at Blodgett School to improve their computer, math and science skills. The SRC Mentoring Program is a collaboration among Syracuse University’s Mary Ann Shaw Center for Public & Community Service (CPCS) Literacy Initiatives, SU’s L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science (LCS) and the SCSD.

SRC President and CEO Bob Roberts will present $3,500 worth of science equipment to Blodgett School administrators at a formal ceremony at the school on Thursday, Jan. 3, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Representatives from SU, who work with the school in support of literacy initiatives, will also attend the ceremony.

“SRC is a strong supporter of education, especially related to science and technology,” says Roberts. “The fact that inner-city schools are sometimes not afforded the same programs and equipment as other schools motivated us to become part of the Mentoring Program. SU has done a great job to design and implement the program, and I believe the LCS students are benefiting in many ways as leaders of this program.”

Now in its second year, the SRC Mentoring Program was developed to increase student interest in the science and technology fields. The program helps transition students from middle school into high school, supporting them to persist to graduation, and in their pursuit of career goals through post-secondary training or higher education. LCS students serve as role models, leaders and friends to the Blodgett students enrolled in the after-school mentoring program while facilitating hands on science lessons.

The SRC Mentoring Program is being piloted in Syracuse with hopes to replicate the science mentoring/literacy skills building model in other SRC communities throughout the United States.

SRC plays a leadership role in providing solutions to programs of national significance through the innovative application of science, technology and information. SRC’s responsiveness and success in solving next-generation challenges has resulted in a trusted advisor reputation with customers in the defense, environment and intelligence communities. The SRC family of companies employs more than 850 people and has offices in Arlington, Va.; Chantilly, Va.; Charlottesville, Va.; Dayton, Ohio; Denver; Hanover, Md.; Rome, N.Y.; San Antonio, Texas; and Syracuse. For more information, visit http://www.syrres.com http://www.syrres.com