STEPing to sustainability in a graduate K-12 partnership

The science and technology enhancement program (STEP) at the University of Cincinnati (UC) links university faculty, graduate students, secondary teachers, and secondary students in an effort to enhance student competence and promote awareness in STEM disciplines. Graduate-student Fellows gain valuable experience assisting and teaching in urban high schools. This NSF-funded project has generated hundreds of STEM lessons suitable for use by secondary school teachers. The sustainability of the program is the focus of this paper as viewed through the lessons, students, teachers, website, and the STEP Fellows. Over the past eight years, Project STEP has interacted with all of these groups to create and implement a successful community partnership. Conclusions are presented and concerns addressed. Project STEP students, teachers, and Fellows demonstrate increased awareness of the requirements and challenges of effective STEM education.