Tag: TGR Foundation

In early June, Earl Woods Scholars Michelle Bravo and Cristian Carrasco had an exciting opportunity to attend the Global MindED conference in Denver, Colorado. Committed to creating a diverse talent pipeline through cross-collaboration, the conference united hundreds of educators, entrepreneurs, policymakers and first-generation college students, like Michelle and Cristian. Over three days, the scholars attended numerous panels, keynote presentations and workshops, including a discussion on educational equity featuring TGR Foundation’s Vice President of Programs and Education, Dr. Katherine Bihr. Michelle, a rising senior at The City University of New York’s Lehman College, and Cristian, a rising junior at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) share their takeaways from the conference.

My earliest memories of the TGR Learning Lab began when I was walking down Gilbert Street from Gauer Elementary School to take part in the week-long, 5th grade field trip. A few years later, I was back for more, enrolling in multiple classes in the after-school program.

Being a first-generation college student comes with high amounts of pressure. I was terrified and nervous about how I was going to figure everything out. Self-doubt often clouded my mind. However, with the support of the TGR Learning Lab, as both a student and a staff member, I was able to find my footing. The TGR Learning Lab equipped me with valuable tools as I transitioned from high school to college.

At TGR Foundation, learning doesn’t stop when the school bell sounds or the academic year ends. Through our science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) and college access online curricula, students and educators alike can continue their learning on their own time and terms.

Although my academic career at Pitzer College has come to an end, my learning journey will not. Two weeks prior to graduation, the foreseeable future was ironically still abstract and difficult for me to grasp. It brought me a feeling of excitement and nostalgia, encouraging me to reflect on my last four years at Pitzer College and six years as an Earl Woods Scholar.

When asked “What do you want to be when you grow up?”, a common response from young students interested in animals is “a veterinarian.”  Although becoming a veterinarian is a noble and valued profession, one that certainly appeals to a wide range of people, both young and old, more often than not students are simply unaware of the vast opportunities available to them in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields that align directly with their passions. Opportunities that can advance human understanding of complex issues, provide life-saving research or solve difficult problems.   

Within two and a half weeks, I realized the significance and impact of friendship on the other side of the globe. I have had friends back home for years, many of whom I met during my first two years at Stony Brook University in New York. However, the ones I met throughout my study abroad experience in Florence, Italy were memorable. These friends were significant because through them and my short time abroad, I came to realize something about myself and learned exactly how I was meant to live my life.

What better way to celebrate Earth Day than by investigating the migration patterns of animals. Magnetic Migration, our engaging, hands-on lesson from TGR EDU: Explore, highlights animals’ abilities to navigate using Earth’s magnetic field. In recent years, scientists have gathered evidence to determine how animals use Earth’s magnetic field as a way to survival. This […]

It’s that time of year again, when many high school seniors across the country eagerly and anxiously await college acceptance letters. With a May 1stcollege selection deadline, students not only have to decide where they would like to spend their next four years of higher education but how to pay for it.April marks National Financial Literacy Month and we’re highlighting free resources from TGR Foundation’s digital initiative, TGR EDU: Explore, to guide students and families through the often-times overwhelming and confusing financial aid process.

In honor of National Volunteer Week, we would like to point the spotlight on the hundreds volunteers that have served alongside us since the launch of the TGR Learning Lab in 2006. Our volunteers have been crucial to our success thus far and we are grateful to each individual that has committed countless hours to our students and programs.

Working toward its goal to reach millions of students through education, TGR Foundation recently had the opportunity to present at the 29th annual Central and Eastern European Schools Association (CEESA) conference in Warsaw, Poland. The theme, Making the World our Classroom: One Less Brick in the Wall, was a clarion call to participants hailing from 50 countries and 70 schools, to remove barriers and focus efforts on developing a more relevant and globally-centric approach to education.