Mid-Hudson Arts and Science Center

The Mid-Hudson children's Museum will continue its existing partnership with the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center to promote school readiness among children, ages three to five, from low-income households. During this two-year project, children from four early childhood education centers in Poughkeepsie, NY, will participate in monthly museum fieldtrip programs focusing on STEM topics. Teachers will participate in professional development activities to build skills around inquiry-based and early STEM instruction. Family learning nights will connect parents to topical content and foster the use of the museum as an educational resource. The museum will strengthen the "Triad of Support" model supporting the development of young children by forging links among parents, educators and museum professionals around specific content areas through these multiple programs. Using a combination of teacher and parent survey tools, this project will document and evaluate progress of critical thinking skills and mastery of school readiness indicators, among pre-K aged children.