Villanova Community Action by New Engineers
Villanova Community Action by New Engineers (NovaCANE) brings engineering into the classrooms of five area schools, starting with students in the sixth grade. Participating Villanova students and faculty visit these classrooms where they conduct hands-on experiments and offer teacher education, after which the students work on follow up projects. Engineering projects vary by grade level:
- Sixth graders focus on structural engineering
- Seventh grade projects are centered on environmental, water resources, chemical and sustainable engineering
- Eighth graders learn about electrical and mechanical engineering
In addition to the time Villanova students spend in these local schools, the classes that participate (students and teachers) spend a day at the College in the spring, where they engage in a series of hands-on experiences mentored by Villanova faculty and undergraduate and graduate students. The school students also are invited back for an engineering day at Villanova where they work on larger scale projects and tour the engineering facilities.
Approximately 30 Villanova students and faculty are involved in the program every year, with nearly 100 having participated since NovaCANE was launched in fall 2009. The program reaches about 200 middle school students in all. Participating schools include:
- St. Martin of Tours in Philadelphia
- St. Francis de Sales in Philadelphia
- St. Edmond's Academy in Wilmington
- Villa Maria Academy in Malvern
- Malvern Preparatory School in Malvern
- LaSalle Academy in Philadelphia
- Ss Colman-Neumann School in Haverford