USC celebrates ten years with $10K of school grants
Improving maths skills, business enterprise projects, hands-on science, new inventions, exploring best practice in teaching, anti-bullying programs, and recording Sunshine Coast history are all part of the inaugural University of the Sunshine Coast School Grants Scheme.
Seven schools from Morayfield to Bli Bli will receive part of the A$10,000 on offer from the University to help celebrate USC's tenth anniversary and Education Week across Queensland.
Program coordinator, Kylie McKenzie, said the grants were awarded to projects which align with areas within the University.
"USC has business, science, the arts, and teaching areas and these seven projects aligned with those areas," Ms McKenzie said.
"This is a new scheme USC has launched as part of our Power of Ten celebrations and the successful applications include both primary and high school students.
"Some of these projects will be supported by University staff in specific areas of teaching such as local history or business management," she said.
Principals, teachers and students from the schools will attend a special presentation event tomorrow at the University.
The 2006 program will culminate with students presenting their final projects to University and school staff, parents and their school peers next year as part of the announcement of the 2007 USC School Grants Scheme.
Projects for 2006:
Morayfield State High School - 'A Business Enterprise'
(25 students will operate their own business)
Matthew Flinders Anglican College - 'Distant Voices, Still Lives: Oral Histories of the Sunshine Coast'
(Students will collect interviews from community members researching the early European history of the Sunshine Coast)
Narangba Valley SHS - 'Technology assisted Best Practice for Beginning Teachers'
(Students will film pre-service teachers in the classroom as part of feedback on their teaching skills)
Bli Bli State School - 'Why is it so?'
(A year long science project involving hands-on activities and moving and static displays)
Mountain Creek State School - 'Mountain Creek Primary's Anti-Bullying Process'
(Tackling bullying issues through an emphasis on understanding and empathy for children who bully)
Maroochydore SHS - 'Magic and Money of Inventions'
(A magician will set the theme for imaginative and inventive ideas backed up by enterprise and business planning to bring their idea to fruition)
Buddina State School - 'Improving Teaching Practice to increase engagement of Mathematical Thinking in the Early Years'
(A catalyst for improved teaching practices and developing a culture where students are encouraged to think and work mathematically in the early years)