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SEED News:

MIT SEED Academy to host “Dream it. Do it.” Tour

High School students showcase talents in Academic Games

Julian S. Green, Engineering Outreach Programs Office

February 21, 2008

 

The Starbucks Foundation and Youth Venture Organization will be visiting the MIT campus for the “Dream it. Do it.” Tour on February 29, 2008 . SEED Academy has been invited to host a workshop to highlight the excitement surrounding its students' participation in Academic Games. SEED, which stands for Saturday Engineering Enrichment and Discovery, is a seven-semester academic enrichment and technical career exploration program for promising, public high school students from Boston, Cambridge, and Lawrence, Massachusetts. SEED Academy 's mission is to motivate and equip participants to pursue technical careers by strengthening their fundamental math, science and communication skills through hands-on engineering activities.

Last winter, SEED students were introduced to Academic Games by Bao Tran, an MIT sophomore and SEED Teaching Assistant, as a way to de-stress from regular school work but keep them thinking during their down time. These games are part of the national organization – Academic Games League of America. The League's mission is to prepare students for learning beyond the classroom and to get them excited about academic learning and competition. Bao Tran founded the Massachusetts Academic League of America (MAGLOA) with eight SEED students and it has now grown to over 25 students, including some middle school students from the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Program.

If you walk the halls near the MIT Office of Engineering Outreach Programs, it is hard not to notice the extensive practices taking place. The students laugh and cheer each other on to understanding and success as they master these games. They have ventured into their own schools, communities, and peer groups to recruit others to join their practices that not only take place during the school week, but also on Saturdays and Sundays.

They have become ambassadors of “Thinking Kids” redefining their own idea of excellence and self-worth. The games have become something more to these students as they prepare for a State Tournament in March 2008 and a National Tournament in April 2008. These SEED students are the first team to play Academic Games in Massachusetts . Academic Games has positioned these students to understand that leadership and learning happens not only in the classroom.

The “Dream it. Do it” Tour will highlight the success surrounding these students' efforts in challenging their own idea of bridging connections, goal-setting, and educational advancement in their own lives and communities. Join us in presenting these future changemakers and community leaders on February 29, 2008 in the MIT Student Center at 6:30pm.

For information on the Massachusetts Academic Games League of America, please visit the website: http://mit.edu/magloa/about.html .