NJCU Program at Suburban Middle School Saved by Fundraising Campaign
By Jon Whiten • Jul 29th, 2010 • Category: Blog, News
A few months ago, Proyecto Science’s outpost at Morris County’s East Hanover Middle School faced an uncertain future, as funding cuts threatened to end the program that prepares students for careers as engineers and scientists altogether. But New Jersey City University (NJCU), which administers the program, announced last week that it had been saved and will continue, thanks to an “unprecedented” fundraising campaign that raised nearly $30,000.
The campaign was spearheaded by East Hanover Middle School parents and the NJCU Foundation staff, with support from East Hanover mayor Joseph Pannullo (who donated $5,000), Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation (which donated $9,900) and Givaudan Fragrance Corporation (which donated $1,000). The parents’ efforts were led by Mario Accumanno, who is also president of the East Hanover Business Association.
“Having been a student in a similar program in New York City enabled me to attend The Bronx High School of Science, an experience that possibly saved my life but definitely changed my life,” Accumanno says. “I feel that it is extremely important for these children to have the same opportunity as I did.”
The six-week summer program focuses on advancement in mathematics, sciences, computer science and technology for select middle and high school students. Proyecto Science offers intensive courses in algebra and geometry; pre-calculus, calculus, and probability and statistics; biology, physics, and chemistry; computer science, logic and set theory, finite mathematics and JAVA programming. The three-summer program begins with 7th graders, with successful students being invited back in their 8th and 9th grade years.
Proyecto Science at East Hanover Middle School, a branch of Proyecto Science at NJCU, was first offered last year, and it currently enrolls 18 students.
“Having personally seen what Proyecto Science did for their children, the parents of East Hanover refused to allow the program to be terminated due to budget cuts,” says Khatmeh Osseiran-Hanna, NJCU’s vice president for university advancement and executive director of the NJCU Foundation. “These parents joined hands with Mr. Accumanno, the mayor and NJCU to raise the funds necessary to continue the program.”
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Jon Whiten is the founding editor of the Jersey City Independent; he now works for a public-policy nonprofit in Trenton.
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