Engineering Hope

By Eric Carpenter
The Orange County Register

Saturday, October 15, 2005
Mexican-American group is introducing science to Hispanic students early to help boost their interest in related careers.

FULLERTON – Javier Jimenez giggled as he stirred the concoction and watched it stretch into a messy goo called "Gak."

The simple chemistry experiment may not have seemed momentous.

But for the 13-year-old eighth-grader from Santa Ana, this was a first.

Friday was the first time he - or anybody else in his family - had stepped onto a university campus.

He was at Cal State Fullerton to learn a few simple, fun science lessons as part of school's "Science Extravaganza," sponsored by the Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists.

"This is cool," he said. "I want to know how to do more."

Organizers hope that by introducing Hispanic students to science early, they will encourage more of those students to pursue higher education and, particularly, careers in science and engineering.

State testing indicates Hispanic students typically lag behind non-Hispanics in standardized tests.

California Standardized Testing and Reporting showed last year in Orange County, 15percent of Hispanic fifth-graders test at "proficient" or above in science. That's compared with 58percent of non-Hispanic white students at the same grade level.

Cal State Fullerton has excelled in recruiting Hispanics. The university ranks eighth in a national study for enrolling Hispanic women.

It ranks fifth nationally for graduating Hispanic students with bachelor's degrees. But most of those degrees are in communications and education, not in the sciences.

Leaders of the science lessons, including Latinos who are science and engineering majors from Fullerton, Long Beach and the University of Southern California, said they want to encourage students who face many of the same challenges they did.

"There wasn't this kind of outreach when I was in school. I didn't know all that was available until I got here," said Adrian Hermosillo, a junior computer science major at Cal State Fullerton.

"I want to be part of letting them know early, it's possible if you work at it."

In all, more than 300 students from Santa Ana, Long Beach and Boyle Heights attended the fair.

They sat at university computers and learned the basics of designing a Web page.

They built bridges with gumdrops and towers with plastic straws to learn the basics of engineering.

They also attended a class on scholarships and how to apply for financial aid.

"I talk to so many parents who have come from Mexico and want a better life for their children, they want them to go to college," said Alfredo Cervantes, a teacher from Carr Intermediate School in Santa Ana.

"This means so much for them to learn about the opportunities that are out there, to sit in a college classroom for the first time and know they are wanted there."

The Science Extravaganza began in Texas five years ago and has rotated from campus to campus ever since.

When the day began Friday and a counselor asked what the students wanted to be, the answers were typical for junior-high kids.

A rapper. A soccer player. A model.

By the end of the day, when the same question was asked, some new answers emerged.

A marine biologist. An astronaut. A software designer.

"I want to know more about what chemists do," said Julio Castro of Long Beach. "I could totally gross out my sister."

Organizers said they know one day likely won't make the difference.

So the Fullerton chapter of the society plans to make it an annual event on campus and schedule more follow-up workshops and outreach programs.

"Hopefully, we can plant the seeds today," said Jose Sanchez, society president. "And with a little more encouragement, some nourishment, they'll see they can become scientists too."