Grant for Strengthening Research Skills in High Schools

Posted on October 24, 2022 by Janet Clarke

University Libraries is excited to partner with Brentwood High School (BHS) on a grant project to improve college and workforce research skills in their students. The grant from the William E. & Maude S. Pritchard Charitable Trust aims to create a scalable and replicable “train the trainer” model that can be implemented throughout Suffolk County school districts. The goal of this project is to help underserved high schools embed academic research opportunities into their curriculum. Improving the research and critical thinking skills of students before graduation will empower them to achieve excellence in college and the workforce. Leveraging the expertise of university librarians, high school librarians, teachers and administrators, this project will strengthen the collaborations of these key stakeholders for student success.

In summer 2022, we hosted an intensive workshop and retreat for a cohort of BHS teachers to raise awareness and proficiency among the educators about research and information literacy skills and college expectations, as well as to design curriculum activities to implement in the classroom. Moving forward, the grant team will be monitoring how this cohort of teachers, who represent multiple academic areas, incorporate different aspects of research and information literacy skills into their curriculum planning.

The three-year, $150,000 grant will culminate in a regional conference for all stakeholders to celebrate the participants and to discuss ways to further strengthen the teaching of research and information literacy skills in high schools.

The grant team consists of principal investigator Janet Clarke, Associate Dean for Research & User Engagement, co-principal investigators Chris Kretz, Head of Academic Engagement, and Christine Fena, Undergraduate Success Librarian, with administrative support from Stacey Horath and Zerina Makhdoomi.