Detroit Schools Partner for Engineering Success

The Detroit Schools has partnered with localboth children and their parents focus on teaching and
universities to get students thinking about careers inlearning math, science, pre-engineering, and reading.
science and engineering. Students at different levels ofHow to Join DAPCEP
the Detroit Public Schools are being targeted in aThe selection process for DAPCEP can be daunting
statewide effort to get more women and minoritiesfor parents anxious to give this opportunity to their
enrolled in engineering programs. One program thatchildren. DAPCEP holds an open house each fall for
makes this its mission is the Detroit Area Pre Collegeprospective students and parents. Students must
Engineering Program (DAPCEP).maintain a 2.0 Grade Point Average in all their school
The Detroit Area Pre College Engineering Programsubjects. Other factors, such as attendance, and
DAPCEP works with area students in three maintaking certain academic subjects in the regular school
ways. It partners with local public school teachers tocurriculum, such as physics, chemistry, and higher level
design a curriculum that encourages creative thinking inmath, also play a role in student selection. For many
the sciences. To fulfill this goal, DAPCEP sponsorsprograms, students also need letters of
science fairs, field trips, and university seminars forrecommendation from their math and science
students and teachers.teachers.
DAPCEP also runs a Saturday program in conjunctionSummer Course Offerings
with local universities and corporations to provideDAPCEP's university partnerships are providing a
enrichments activities for students in grades 4 - 12.range of summer courses of Detroit area students.
These activities focus on different aspects of math,Here are some highlights:o Watershed Investigators
computer science, engineering, physics, chemistry, and(University of Detroit Mercy)
communication skills.Students will investigate local water quality in a series
In addition to its programs during the school year,of real - world experiments.o How Math Rocks Our
DAPCEP brings local public school students intoWorld (Tabernacle)
universities for summer programs. Some of theStudents will see how their math and science skills
summer programs are residential, with students livingcompare with other students around the world, in
on campus for a few weeks and getting a real tasteparticular China and India.o Wireless Integrated
for the college life. Other programs provideMicrosystems (Michigan State University)
transportation to and from campus.Hands - on activities and presentations from nine
University Partnershipsdifferent engineering majors offered at the university.o
DAPCEP's list of university partners is certainlyEngineering Intensive Workshop ( Michigan
impressive.o University of Detroit Mercyo MichiganTechnological University)
State Universityo University of Michigan Ann ArboroStudents choose two areas of study, ranging from
Wayne State Universityo Lawrence TechnicalMechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering,
Universityo Oakland Universityo University of MichiganComputer Aided Engineering, Computer Programming,
Dearborno Michigan Technological UniversityMaterial Engineering, Chemical Engineering and others.
The Little Engineer ProgramAll of the DAPCEP programs emphasize the Detroit
In addition to their very successful middle school andArea Public School District's commitment to ensuring
high school programs, DAPCEP also has somethingthat students have the opportunity to explore many
for smaller learners. Its Little Engineer Program is forchallenging areas and gain further insights into the
students in grades K - 3. These Saturday classes forcollege experience.