GREAT LAKES SCIENCE CENTER HOSTING GRADUATION FOR MC2STEM HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2012

May 29th, 2012

CLEVELAND (May 29, 2012) – It’s time for a very special group of students to turn their graduation tassels. The 57 young adults, who attended ninth grade at the MC2STEM High School at Great Lakes Science Center in 2008, are graduating. This group of students is the first class of seniors to graduate MC2 STEM High School, which focuses on teaching science, technology, engineering and math with a hands-on program of project-based learning.

The class of 2012 graduation celebration will be held on Saturday, June 2, at 5 pm at Great Lakes Science Center, home of the NASA Glenn Visitor Center.

The first graduating class of MC2 STEM High School includes 57 students, all of whom plan to pursue college degrees, move directly into the workforce, or join the military. MC2 STEM students have committed to schools that include Harvard University, Cornell University, Case-Western Reserve University, Colorado College, Miami University, Ohio University, Ohio State University (College of Engineering), the College of Wooster, Cleveland State University, the University of Akron, and others. Between them, MC2 STEM students will have received over $6.5 million in college scholarship offers.

“Science, technology, engineering and math are at the center of our mission here at Great Lakes Science Center and we are proud to offer our facilities to the community as a public lab for learning,” said Whitney Owens, vice president of education at Great Lakes Science Center. “We’re committed to initiatives that will drive our economy forward, and the STEM school is critical to the future of Northeast Ohio.”

“We are proud to have an institution like Great Lakes Science Center as a member of the STEM initiative, as well as have them host this very special graduation,” said Jeff McClellan, principal, MC2STEM High School. “Both of our institutions work hard toward furthering the same mission – to develop science literacy in today’s students in order to prepare STEM leaders for the 21st century.”

As a result of a partnership with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD), Great Lakes Science Center became the STEM school’s inaugural campus in August of 2008. Since then, a new group of approximately 100 ninth graders attend school sessions at the Science Center every year, making GLSC the initial STEM experience and first educational home for these students. GLSC education staff members work closely with school leaders to create unique opportunities for the MC2 STEM students who attend class at the Science Center. GLSC is also the NASA Glenn Visitor Center, and the ninth-grade curriculum includes a partnership with NASA Glenn Research Center that encompasses field trips, job shadowing, internships and hands-on work with NASA engineers. GLSC also facilitates research-focused internships and mentorships for MC2 STEM students with local academic institutions such as Case-Western Reserve University and University Hospitals through a Science Education Partnership Award grant from the National Institutes of Health.

News media wishing to attend this event at Great Lakes Science Center should contact Kristen Shorkey at 216-696-3823 or shorkeyk@glsc.org. This event is closed to the public.

About Great Lakes Science Center
Great Lakes Science Center is one of the nation’s leading science and technology centers and home to Northeast Ohio’s NASA Glenn Visitor Center. Its mission is to engage visitors through fun, interactive experiences to stimulate curiosity about and encourage understanding of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. It features hundreds of hands-on exhibits, themed traveling exhibits, daily demonstrations, the awe-inspiring OMNIMAX® Theater and the Steamship William G. Mather. The Science Center is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Discounted parking is available for guests in the attached 500-car garage. Great Lakes Science Center is generously funded by the citizens of Cuyahoga County through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. For more information, contact the Science Center at 216-694-2000 or visit www.GreatScience.com.

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