GENESIS: PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS TO PARTNER WITH NINE13SPORTS AND SOUTH RIPLEY JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL TO PILOT STEM PROGRAM
Batesville, Indiana – Genesis: Pathways to Success (GPS), the STEM initiative of Ripley County Community Foundation, has partnered with Nine13sports and South Ripley Junior High School (SRJHS) to pilot a STEM curriculum program in January 2017. Additional financial support from Hillenbrand, Versailles McDonald’s and Friendship State Bank helped make this pilot possible.
This partnership will allow SRJHS students to participate in Nine13sports’ unique bicycle programming and learn the engineering, math, science, health and transportation benefits of the bicycle. This STEM-based program will also allow students to learn about the computer program Nine13sports uses during its regular programming.
“We are thrilled that SRJHS students will have this wonderful opportunity to pilot the new Nine13sports STEM curriculum,” Cheryll Obendorf, executive director of GPS said. “The program’s elements that blend biology, health and physical education will allow students to put scientific concepts into practice by identifying and tracking the physiological changes in their body while exercising. Seeing principles learned in the classroom applied to their everyday lives will help students better understand why what they’re learning is important.”
This partnership will mark the first time that Nine13sports has taken its programming to Ripley County. It also marks the first expansion outside of Central Indiana for the Indianapolis-based organization with teams in Central Indiana; Portland, Oregon; and Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The pilot program will focus on grades 7-8 and will include a multiple-interaction set of programming where each participating student will be seen eight times. SRJHS is looking forward to the partnership with Nine13sports and the impact it will have on students.
“We are excited to partner with Nine13sports for the opportunity for our students,” Destiny Rutzel, SRJHS principal, said. “Thank you to our sponsors. Without the support of our community sponsors, this would not have been possible. The STEM curriculum will allow our students to apply their own data and concepts learned within the classroom while seeing their own individual accomplishments. I appreciate Mr. Wrightsman, SRJHS P.E. teacher, and the willingness to collaborate with Tom Hanley and work this program into his curriculum.”
Nine13sports expects this added facet of programming to expand in late 2017.
“Given the interest and demand, this STEM program expansion is imperative to better serve students and schools across Indiana,” Tom Hanley, CEO of Nine13sports said. “That said, we are extremely excited to kick off this program expansion with the students of South Ripley Junior High School. It’s a perfect fit.”
Genesis: Pathways to Success is an initiative of the Ripley County Community Foundation dedicated to empowering students to succeed in STEM by developing programs in areas such as engineering, agriculture, health science and technology as well as by supporting events that encourage students to apply curious minds and critical thinking skills to real-world opportunities. GPS generates ongoing and meaningful dialogue and collaboration to prepare a talent pipeline for a globally dynamic marketplace. For additional information, please visit www.genesisp2s.org. 
