SOCIAL MEDIA AND KEEPING IT GREEN: SMITHSONIAN EXPERTS TEACH LOCAL STUDENTS ABOUT IMPORTANT USE OF
NEW TECHNOLOGIES
Educational program part of Ford Smithsonian Scholars
in the Schools
Elk Grove, Calif. (September 9, 2009) – Two Smithsonian experts will meet with students and faculty on September 9 and 10 at five Elk Grove Unified high schools to discuss the use of new technologies in the fields of social media and environmental conservation, within the Smithsonian Institution. The “Ford Smithsonian Scholars in the Schools” program comes to Elk Grove Unified School District thanks to a partnership between the Smithsonian Institution and Ford Motor Company Fund, the community relations and philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company.
“We are excited to work with two strong education leaders through our continued partnership with Ford Motor Company Fund and our collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution,” said Elk Grove Unified School District Superintendent Steven M. Ladd, Ed.D. “This opportunity will give our students a fresh perspective on how their studies apply outside the classroom and how new technologies can improve our lives.”
Smithsonian Scholar Marc Bretzfelder serves as the Streaming Media Webmaster for the Smithsonian Institution. He assists the museums stream events on the web and develops a social presence to promote their efforts through social networking sites such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Bretzfelder will present students with an overview of the Smithsonian's various efforts in social media, explaining how various Smithsonian units from A to Z—beginning with the Astrophysical Observatory to the Zoo—are establishing their presence on social networks.
Joining Bretzfelder will be David Hauk, Energy Management Branch Chief of the Smithsonian Institution, responsible for the Smithsonian’s efforts to make its buildings more sustainable through energy and water conservation projects. During his presentation, Hauk will describe current Smithsonian green-building projects and will present a detailed case-study of a recent project that provided $20 million in energy efficiency improvements for the National Museums of American History and Natural History.
The Smithsonian worked closely with Elk Grove Unified School District in the design of the program and topics covered in order to ensure that they match with current classroom learning and skill level.
“The ‘Ford Smithsonian Scholars in the Schools’ enables us to increase our national outreach programs, which focus on expanding how the Smithsonian engages the interest and involvement of the American public in the places where they live,” said Barbara Tuceling, director of The Smithsonian Associates.
The five high schools—Monterey Trail, Laguna Creek, William Daylor, Valley and Florin— where the Scholars will make presentations are currently using the Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies (Ford PAS) curriculum. Ford PAS is an academically-rigorous curriculum taught through the lens of a career that prepares students for college and high-wage, high-skills fields such as business, engineering, technology, alternative energy, global economics and other challenging fields. The curriculum is supported through professional development for teachers and networking opportunities between business partners, educators and students. Ford PAS was developed by Ford Motor Company Fund in partnership with Education Development Center, Inc. It is currently being used in 400 sites across 27 states.
“While education has always been a top priority at Ford, it is even more important in times like these,” said Jim Vella, President, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. “We owe it to our youth to provide our youth with every opportunity to be prepared and successful for careers in a global economy.”
The presentations and lectures are part of the “Ford Smithsonian Scholars in the Schools” program coordinated by the Regional Programs department of The Smithsonian Associates. The Regional Programs department presents educational and cultural events that highlight and complement the work of the Smithsonian Institution to audiences outside the Washington, DC area. The goal of the project is to take the Institution’s world-renowned scholars and researchers into local communities, where they can share their knowledge and enthusiasm for learning with students. Ford has sponsored Smithsonian visits to schools in over 20 communities. For more information about The Smithsonian Associates’ Regional Programs, call 202-633-8631 or visit www.smithsonianassociates.org.