Dr. Alesia Slocumb-Bradford

Slocumb-Bradford's winning program idea is "Project PROMISE: Probing Robotics for Observations of Mars to Inspire Student Engineers". The technology-education program will provide the opportunity for 150 students at Jefferson Middle School to participate in hands-on robotics activities surrounding the Mars mission. Students will focus on four areas: researching various aspects of Mars, creating Web pages, designing and building computer-operated robots, and learning how to write computer programs. The program offers students high-level mathematics concepts and problem solving to better prepare them for college and their future careers. Slocumb-Bradford, who lives in Accokeek, MD., hopes that the program will become a prototype program for the District of Columbia Public School System and a model for teachers by showcasing a standards-based classroom at its best.