Global Experience - ENCORE partners with IMAS to put the world at CAMP Scholars' fingertips
By: Nadia Tamez-Robledo

Forget about traveling the world in 80 days! ENCORE Scholars can now enjoy a 360-degree view of the globe in a matter of seconds during the College Awareness and Mentorship Program (CAMP). It's all thanks to a partnership with (International Museum of Art and Science) IMAS that brings some of the most engaging learning technology right to their schools.

Educators from McAllen's International Museum of Art and Science introduced Magic Planet, a spherical projector, to students at Longoria Middle School and Memorial Middle School in Edinburg Nov. 19. The globe is used by instructors to demonstrate scientific maps of the Earth illustrating population density, pollution, ozone depletion, global energy trends and other relevant information.

"What makes it unique is the use of technology. It's not something flat in a book and it's a presentation you see on a screen," Mario Lopez, a museum guide from IMAS, explained. "We tried to engage the kids by providing brand-new, state-of-the-art equipment and also by proving them information, as well as hands on activities that deal with the same concept – getting them to think and explore the ideas of what we can do in order to change from non-renewable to renewable sources of energy."

The presentations were part of ENCORE CAMP's Go Green Day, which educates Scholars about issues surrounding global climate change in addition to science and engineering careers with focuses on suitability. Scholars learned about the science behind sustainable energy when they assembled fans and light bulbs powered by solar panels.

"I think it was a wonderful experience to learn because it tells you how our Earth is revolving and what we're doing to it as we waste our natural resources," Sergio Sanchez, and 8th grader at Longoria Middle School, said. "It was one experience I've never had before."

ENCORE staff members led students in an activity designed to help them identify potential energy-wasting appliances in their homes.

ENCORE Scholars tried their hand at conceptualizing sustainable technology by designing energy-saving inventions. De la Rosa and his group created the Hydro-Pump, a water-powered car engine.

"The project that I did might be able to help the earth, which is pretty cool," said Roy de la Rosa, an 8th grader at Memorial Middle School. "It was pretty interesting because I found out a lot of things that I didn't know before. I'm really fascinated with being an engineer and a lot of other things, so just to be college-ready, I went to ENCORE."

The presentations also marked Magic Planet's first trip outside of IMAS, which was made possible in part by a grant from Wells Fargo Bank.

"I was very impressed with the children being so interested," said Alma Ortega-Johnson, president of the Wells Fargo Bank Upper Valley Division and president of the IMAS Board of Directors. "That partnership with IMAS and ENCORE has been really, really awesome. I was so excited to see them learning so much, asking all those questions, and I'm sure we're going to see so many things happening in the near future."

"We are very excited to bring IMAS to work in partnership with our ENCORE Program," said Dr. Roland Arriola, President of Texas Valley Communities Foundation. "This type of partnerships reinforces ENCORE's mission of bringing awareness to our students on the importance of higher education, especially the high demand for STEM careers in the near future".

Engaging Communities for College Readiness (ENCORE), a branch of the Mercedes-based Texas Valley Communities Foundation, strives to increase the college-going rate of secondary school students through the hands-on and mentorship-integrated programs. Since its inception in 2008, ENCORE has reached thousands of students across the Rio Grande Valley with CAMP sessions.

"Our ENCORE Scholars were fascinated by the Magic Planet Experience," said Ernesto Villarreal, ENCORE Program Director. "We are very grateful to the IMAS Staff and Wells Fargo Bank for enhancing our ENCORE CAMP programming with this mobile exhibit that captures the imagination of our scholars and brings conscious awareness on the importance of global warming issues".

For more information ENCORE, please contact Ernesto Villarreal at 956-903-4231 or at evillarreal@tvcof.org.