10/21/10 - Institute president and CEO Gerald D. Jensen joins boards of two children's organizations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: October 21, 2010
Contact: Jan Hollingsworth
jan.hollingsworth@siskin.org
423.648.1730, office

Gerald D. Jensen, president and CEO of Siskin Children’s Institute, accepts board appointments to We Teach Science Foundation and The Children’s Museum, Seattle

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Gerald D. Jensen, president and CEO of Siskin Children’s Institute, has accepted board of trustee appointments with two organizations focused on childhood education: We Teach Science Foundation (WTSF) and The Children’s Museum, Seattle (TCM).

We Teach Science Foundation is a non-profit organization located in Burlingame, Calif. The foundation connects public middle school students with science, technology, engineering and math professionals for remote tutoring and mentoring sessions. Increased exposure to these subjects and individualized attention from mentors helps students excel in the disciplines of science and math.

WTSF was launched in 2008 to help improve math and science competency for California students in the San Francisco Bay Area. According to a first year analysis of WTSF done by Stanford University, students who received mentoring through WTSF programs had a higher degree of growth in math learning, as measured by the California STAR test, compared to peers who did not participate in WTSF. As the foundation’s impact becomes more fully realized, the long-term goal is to work with all children in the U.S. who require assistance to excel in math and science. 

“I’ve spent much of my career working in leadership and management roles within the field of education and applaud organizations that support and nurture a child’s love of learning,” said Jensen. “I believe in the mission and vision of We Teach Science Foundation and look forward to serving on the board.”

Jensen also has joined the board of The Children’s Museum, Seattle. TCM is one of the leading attractions for young children and their families in the Seattle, Wash., area. In recent years, the museum shifted its programming concentration from art appreciation to early childhood education and has developed innovative programs for children from birth to age 5.

The Institute and TCM share a common focus: the importance of early childhood education for children with and without disabilities. The Institute’s Siskin Center for Child and Family Research conducts some of the world’s leading evidence-based studies in child and family engagement and early childhood education. “The Institute’s research findings and expertise in the field of early childhood development will be a valuable resource to TCM as the museum continues to develop its programs,” said Jensen. “I look forward to serving on the board and in our two organizations collaborating as we both seek to help children, families and education professionals.”

Jensen’s appointments to the WTSF and TCM boards demonstrate the Institute’s national reach and influence as one of the leading organizations serving children, especially those with special needs. 

About Siskin Children’s Institute
Siskin Children's Institute makes life better for children with special needs and their families. The non-profit organization achieves its mission locally and nationally through four initiatives: education, outreach, health care and research. The Institute provides early childhood education where children with and without disabilities learn together; family support and professional development programs; developmental behavioral pediatric health care; and innovative research in early childhood development and special education. For more information about Siskin Children's Institute, visit www.siskin.org.

About We Teach Science Foundation
Established in 2008, the mission of We Teach Science Foundation is to motivate, inspire and mentor American public school students (age K-12) to achieve excellence in the disciplines of math and science. The non-profit organization connects science technology engineering and math (S.T.E.M.) professionals with middle school algebra students for remote tutoring and mentoring. For more information about We Teach Science Foundation, visit www.weteachscience.org.

About The Children’s Museum, Seattle
Now celebrating its 30^th year, The Children’s Museum, Seattle bring to life the joy of discovery for children and their families through fun, creative and hands-on exploration of the world around them. The museum is a 22,000 square foot trusted, engaging, informal learning environment that ignites birth to 10 year old children’s imagination with limitless possibilities! The museum is located in the heart of Seattle on the ground floor of the Seattle Center House. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Children under one year are admitted for free. Admission is $7.50 for children and adults, $6.50 for grandparents and $6 for groups of 10 or more. No adults admitted without kid supervision! Visit the museum online at www.thechildrensmuseum.org.