Cheryl Potocki, a teacher at Charter School of Wilmington, advises the school’s Science Ambassadors program. The program gives students the opportunity to share their interest and expertise in math and science by mentoring elementary and middle school students in neighboring schools. In doing so, the program not only provides role models and tutors for math and science, but also develops the skills and sense of social responsibility in the mentors themselves. So far, mentors have worked with: Prestige, Kuumba, Edison, and Eastside charter schools, Shortlidge, Highlands, Lewis, Heritage, and Palmer elementary schools, Serviam Academy, and Fletcher Brown Boys & Girls Club.
“Pushing the envelope means…always remembering we do this for the kids.”
Cheryl Potocki
Teacher, Charter School of Wilmington
In her own words…
Excellent public education is important because it is the only way that we can give every child — regardless of financial circumstances — the opportunity to be able to provide for oneself and one’s family, and pursue his or her dream. We have many educational options in Delaware, and families make decisions that they feel are best for their children.
Both of my parents were graduates of Wilmington High School and were first generation Americans yet, between them, they earned multiple diplomas. In their respective careers, they were able to help thousands of people. Does every student in our public schools today, have access to a comparable level of education to allow them similar opportunities? That is our task in public education.
I became a teacher in Delaware because I love math, I wanted to help kids, and give as many children as possible the opportunity to have a good education like I had.
I started the Science Ambassadors program because my husband, a physics teacher, thought it would be great if kids could try science fair projects when they were in elementary school. I had worked with Cindy Pochomis at the Richardson Park Learning Center (RPLC) to develop our Buddy Program, partnering charter school teens with special needs children. I could see the positive impact a teen made on a child, so I thought we could take that joyful experience and use it to teach science to younger students. The proposal was fortunate enough to earn a start-up grant from the Delaware Foundation for Science and Mathematics Education. I asked for some volunteer moms, students, a couple of teachers and 8 or so years later, here we are. The program would not be what it is if not for the amazing group effort from students, parents and some teachers, and the support of the community.
This project is innovative and unique for two reasons. First, it partners teens with younger students and sparks the joy of learning science (or STEM) when kids are young. A teenager has a lot more credibility with a younger student than an adult. Second, the program responds to change. Sometimes this is from the needs of our partner schools and sometimes our students have great ideas.
Delaware students are impacted through this work in these ways Currently, we work with Prestige Academy, Fletcher Brown Boys and Girls club and Elbert Palmer elementary school We tutor students in math and help them with their homework throughout the year and host an Elementary Science Expo on a Saturday morning in the fall where we invite the children we work with to participate. Some years we have mentored children to make science fair entries for the expo. This year we ran a small, one week, science and robotics summer camp. Budgets, construction projects, and turnover at our partner schools have all impacted what services we can offer and how many schools we can work with. In the past, we also worked with Kuumba Academy, Shortlidge Elementary, Highlands Elementary, Lewis Elementary, Heritage Elementary, Serviam Academy, Edison and Eastside charter schools. And we have big plans for the future!
Most exciting thing others can learn about this project is: Teens are really great at helping younger students. Watching the kids explore and learn science together is a truly wonderful thing. The kids teach each other so much. Other schools can do this program too. The basics are pretty easy to do; you just need people willing to spend the time. Bus money is helpful, but any high school within walking distance of a middle or elementary school could do the same thing.
Pushing the envelope means knowing there will be successes and failures, sometimes taking flack for doing what you believe, and always remembering we do this for the kids.
