Spring Break
OSU's SMILE program grins at its longevity
After 20th year, SMILE hopes to continue science, math outreach to Oregon youth
Anneke Tucker
Issue date: 5/30/08 Section: News
The Oregon State University Science and Math Investigative Learning Experiences program is smiling because last summer it unofficially became one of the organizations with the greatest longevity at OSU.
SMILE has spent the last 20 years serving high school, middle school and elementary school students through interactive and creative thinking programs and camps offered throughout the year at OSU.
The program aims to provide science and math enrichment for underrepresented and educationally underserved students from elementary school through high school.
SMILE is maintained by staff, but puts on its menagerie of activities with the help of a highly trained volunteer staff of graduate and undergraduate students.
Through partnerships and grants, SMILE participants and volunteers alike are exposed to all different kinds of research and science programs, such as JELD-WEN, the Center for Coastal Margin Observation and Prediction, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Cooperative Institute for Oceanographic Satellite Studies, or CIOSS.
Stephanie Beamer, a senior in biology and former SMILE participant now has the opportunity to facilitate and mentor the students in many of the activities.
"It's very hands-on for students," Beamer said. "With the camps, you are actively involved with students. It's unpredictable with the things the students come up with, or just hilarious things they do… it's a pretty full day."
In a recent national review for CIOSS, the institute received high remarks in its outreach program area, calling the connection with SMILE "a model program that should be given national dissemination," according to Ryan Collay, the programming and evaluation coordinator for the SMILE program.
"It is a great example of OSU's new commitment to outreach and engagement," Collay said.
As an outreach program, SMILE reaches about 700 students in 35 schools from as far away in the state as Nyssa and Ontario.
SMILE has spent the last 20 years serving high school, middle school and elementary school students through interactive and creative thinking programs and camps offered throughout the year at OSU.
The program aims to provide science and math enrichment for underrepresented and educationally underserved students from elementary school through high school.
SMILE is maintained by staff, but puts on its menagerie of activities with the help of a highly trained volunteer staff of graduate and undergraduate students.
Through partnerships and grants, SMILE participants and volunteers alike are exposed to all different kinds of research and science programs, such as JELD-WEN, the Center for Coastal Margin Observation and Prediction, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Cooperative Institute for Oceanographic Satellite Studies, or CIOSS.
Stephanie Beamer, a senior in biology and former SMILE participant now has the opportunity to facilitate and mentor the students in many of the activities.
"It's very hands-on for students," Beamer said. "With the camps, you are actively involved with students. It's unpredictable with the things the students come up with, or just hilarious things they do… it's a pretty full day."
In a recent national review for CIOSS, the institute received high remarks in its outreach program area, calling the connection with SMILE "a model program that should be given national dissemination," according to Ryan Collay, the programming and evaluation coordinator for the SMILE program.
"It is a great example of OSU's new commitment to outreach and engagement," Collay said.
As an outreach program, SMILE reaches about 700 students in 35 schools from as far away in the state as Nyssa and Ontario.
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