Mike Hauser Algebra Academy Enters Second Year
The Santa Rosa Chamber of Commerce is proud to sponsor the Mike Hauser Algebra Academy running June 8-26, 2009. In partnership with Agilent Technologies, JDS Uniphase, Medtronic Cardiovascular, and Pacific Gas & Electric Co., as well as the Sonoma County Office of Education, and Piner-Olivet, Roseland and Santa Rosa City School Districts, the Academy has doubled in size from 2008, targeting sixty English Language Learner students entering the ninth grade in the fall.
Students will spend one week at three of the sponsor companies, learning algebra standards and their application to high-tech real-world situations. As incentive for the students to attend the academy, transportation and lunch will also be provided. A graduation ceremony will be held on the last day.
The Academy has been renamed this year, in honor of late Chamber President, Mike Hauser. Mike had a vision for our community in which even those students who struggled to learn English would be able to graduate from high school and thereby realize opportunities for employment and further education that would otherwise not be possible. He understood that learning algebra was a particular obstacle to graduation for students with language difficulties. From Mike's dream an incredible partnership was formed between local educators and businesses, and the first Algebra Academy was launched in the summer of 2008. In the future, the Santa Rosa Chamber intends to assist other local Chambers and organizations in order that they too may conduct Mike Hauser Algebra Academies throughout Sonoma County and beyond.
The Chamber is able to sponsor this program with help from the Press Democrat's Celebrate Community program, a grant from the Innovation Council, as well as contributions from individual donors.
The Algebra Academy was awarded Outstanding New Program by the Western Association of Chamber Executives in February, 2009.