Supriya Jindal and Engineering Office for Diversity Visit Scotlandville Elementary School
May 11, 2009
Supriya Jindal, Louisiana's First Lady, visited Scotlandville Elementary School on May 8 with the College of Engineering's Office for Diversity as part of Teach for America week in Louisiana. During the week Mrs. Jindal also visited schools in St. Landry, Pointe Coupee, East Feliciana and Orleans parishes.
"Mrs. Jindal is an advocate for science and math and recently announced the development of a foundation she has started in Louisiana to promote science and math education," said Brenda Nixon, PhD, Co-Director, LSU Cain Center.
"A strong foundation in math and science will help all of our State's children in whatever career path they choose to pursue as adults," Jindal said, adding "it has been a pleasure to visit with our State's children and educate them about the roles math and science play in their daily lives - from the food they eat and their sneakers they wear; to playing sports and videogames and driving a car; math and science is an integral part of the world we live in. Thank you to LSU's Cain Center and to LSU's Engineering Office for Diversity for helping to bring math and science to life in the form of interactive activities with the students. It is my hope that we not only raise awareness with our State's children about the importance of math and science in our daily life, but also help them see that math and science can be fun."
Mrs. Jindal and LSU engineering graduate students assisted the Scotlandville students with a building project called snap circuits. The activity was based around building simple electric circuits using batteries, a "circuit board" and color-coded parts that snap together. The easy and fun assembly was completed when sirens, doorbells and alarms were heard throughout the class.
"Mrs. Jindal is a very inspiring and knowledgeable presenter who shares her excitement for science and math as well as her experiences as a chemical engineer to highlight the importance of learning and doing well in school so students, too, can become scientists or mathematicians," Dr. Nixon said.
Mrs. Jindal discussed her engineering career pathway, which led her to secure jobs with both Monsanto Chemicals and Albemarle. The fourth grade class of 16 students listened to Mrs. Jindal's many examples of how math and science are important in many jobs. Students were motivated, encouraged, and some students announced they wanted to be engineers like Mrs. Jindal.
Teach for America is the national corps of outstanding recent college graduates and professionals of all academic majors and career interests who commit two years to teach in urban and rural public schools and become leaders in the effort to expand educational opportunity.
Article by Akilah L. Taylor, Development & Faculty Programs, LSU College of Engineering, 225.578.0092, ataylor1@lsu.edu
- 30 -
