Memorandum of Understanding for Participation in EPICS High School Program

2006 Memorandom of Understanding
TO ESTABLISH AN ENGINEERING PROJECTS IN COMMUNITY
SERVICE-LEARNING (EPICS) HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM

Program Overview

EPICS (Engineering Projects in Community Service-Learning) is an innovative and highly successful model for design education where teams of students work on technology-centered projects to serve the needs of the local community. Started at Purdue University in 1995, EPICS programs are now operating at eighteen universities across the country including: Purdue; Columbia ; San Jose State ; Worcester Polytechnic Institute; and the University of California , San Diego . The success of this educational model at the university level has encouraged us to expand the model to high school to provide an early exposure to the fields of engineering and computing through service learning.

The educational goals of EPICS include broadening students' professional skills through an extended design experience in which they define, design, build, test, deploy, and support real systems. Partnerships with local community not-for-profit organizations provide motivated and engaged partners who serve as customers. The expectation that their designs will be deployed and used provides a compelling learning environment for students. The resulting experience is well-matched with desired attributes for those who may be interested in pursuing a college education in engineering, computer science, business, liberal arts, and consumer and family sciences or several other disciplines. Preliminary data also suggests that the social context for technical design appeals to underrepresented groups within engineering and computer science.

EPICS also seeks to meet the needs of local community service and education organizations, which are facing an increasing dependence on technology for the delivery, coordination, accounting, and improvement of the services they provide. These groups often possess neither the expertise to use, nor the budget to design and acquire technological solutions. The EPICS model of service-learning provides long-term and sustained support for these organizations.

The success of the EPICS program has resulted in recognition by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) with the awarding of a Learn and Serve America grant to expand EPICS to high schools. Under this grant, funds are made available for seed grants for 20 new EPICS high school programs over the next three years. The headquarters of the National EPICS Program invites your institution to become a new EPICS high school sites.

Available Funding

Twenty sub-grants are expected to be awarded with a typical sub-grant of $17,500. Sub-grant amounts will vary based on the projected programs being proposed by the individual high school sites. Participating schools will complete required reports, and must show an increased number of students touched by this curriculum each year for three years. Purdue University EPICS, and the University EPICS partners, will work with the high school sites to establish sustainable programs beyond the current anticipated three-year funding period. The federal funds from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) will be disseminated through the National EPICS Program Headquarters at Purdue University . Support of the program will be provided through Purdue University , along with your local University EPICS staff.

This is part of a three year grant with years two and three pending demonstration of progress and congress reauthorization of Learn and Serve America, which is done on an annual basis. We are planning for a full three years of funding but schools are not obligated beyond year one. Each school that demonstrates progress toward the stated goals and provides the required information will be invited to continue for years two and three.

The emphasis of the first year is planning as well as getting an initial group of students involved in some kind of service activity that will build a foundation or provide an introduction for the EPICS projects in years 2 and 3. It is important to show some students engaged in the initial year in each region as part of progress for renewal. Because this is a three year project, unspent funds from years 1 and 2 may be spent in the following years during the three year project period. The grant years begin September 1 st of each year and end on August 31 st . Sustaining the activities beyond the life of the grant will be a topic each year and will be a focus for the final year.

Matching Funds Requirements

A one-for-one match is required for each grant. Matching funds may include cash, teacher/administrator release time or summer support, teaching assistants, outside mentors time, supplies and/or equipment devoted to the new EPICS high school program, or other support that further enables the development of the EPICS high school program. Support can come from the school or external sources. All matches must be documented to meet the requirements of Learn and Serve America.

Additional Requirements of New EPICS High School Sites

As a sub-grantee it will be necessary to meet the following requirements:

1. Planning activities for an EPICS-style service-learning program. The emphasis in year one will be to lay the foundation for implementation in years two and three. Students should be engaged as soon as feasible but the emphasis on year one can be planning activities, including summer plans.
2. Student Activity: An initial service-learning activity must be held before the end of the 2006/2007 school year that will provide a foundation or introduction for the activities in the subsequent years. This may be a one day event or longer term. A brief written report of your activities and the number of students participating must be submitted to Purdue University by May 1, 2007.
3. Completed reports
   1. Submit monthly invoices to Purdue University in the months expenses are incurred, listing expenses and match amounts by category (please see attachment B for sample form).
   2. Complete required Learn and Serve Grant semi-annual reporting on-line at www.lsareports.org.
   3. Submit brief quarterly activity reports to Purdue University
4. One teacher from each school involved in coordinating and administering this curriculum is required to attend a one-week summer workshop at Purdue University , accommodate one site visit per year by a representative of the EPICS Program, and participation in additional scheduled training via phone or web conference. More than one teacher may attend the summer training, but there will be a limit on unmatched funds allowed for travel expenses related to the training.
5. One administrator or counselor from each school is required to attend a two-day portion of the summer workshop at Purdue University , and accommodate site visits and training.
6. All High School programs must use both the EPICS and Learn & Serve America names and/or logos on all printed materials or items used for promotion of the program.
7. Distribution and collection of assessment instruments used across EPICS schools.

Criteria of New EPICS High School Sites

1. Student Participants
   1. Broad participation: While the one of the goals is to interest more students in fields of engineering and computing, institutions should encourage all students to participate in the EPICS high school program. Service Learning and the team work required by the EPICS projects will benefit a wide range of students. EPICS schools would be expected to draw from a diverse population of students.
   2. Multidisciplinary collaboration: While each EPICS project is engineering/computing-centered, effectively meeting the community needs requires more than just technology. EPICS design teams need students with diverse expertise and career interests.
2. Willingness and ability of the institution to meet the EPICS core values.
   1. EPICS students participate in long-term, team-based design projects that solve technology-based problems in the community.
   2. EPICS programs establish multi-year partnerships with not-for-profit community organizations to fulfill the educational needs of student participants as well as the need for community organizations to have access to technology-based solutions for the delivery, coordination, accounting, and improvement of the services they provide.
   3. EPICS community partners assist the student teams in understanding community needs and context for the designs, work with the students throughout the development of their project, and deploy successful projects in the community without obligation for remuneration to the EPICS program.
3. Institutional Commitment
   1. Institutional commitment and administrative support: Commitment of the institution and administration to enable the development of the local EPICS high school program, and, if successful, commit to sustaining it after the initial contract for funding expires.
   2. Appropriate teacher and administrative leadership: Teachers who are committed to the EPICS high school program and are appropriately placed in the institution are vital components for a successful program.
   3. Support systems to assist in the community contacts: Companies, university departments, or support services that can assist with local community contacts facilitate the identification of community projects.
4. Sustaining and institutionalizing high school programs. The current grant will require Purdue University to re-apply each year for the expected three-year funding period. Pending annual renewal of the grant, your school's funding would continue through the 2008-09 school year. Schools are expected to develop plans in place to sustain and institutionalize the program beyond the life of the current grant. Purdue University along with their partnering Universities and corporate partners will work with the schools to prepare to sustain their programs.

To read more on EPICS at the University level, please go to www.purdue.edu/epics

Contact Information

Name	E-mail	Phone
Pamela Turner, High School Coordinator of EPICS	plturner @purdue.edu	765-496-1889
William Oakes, Interim Director of EPICS	oakes@purdue.edu	765-494-3892
Heather Toro, Financial Management of Grant	htoro@purdue.edu	765-496-2178