Newsletter – CABPES – The Colorado Association of Black Professional Engineers and Scientists

As we continue to grapple with COVID-19, many thought it would be gone by now. CABPES found itself between a rock and a hard place. How do we keep our afterschool and summer programs running? What is next for our organization. Do we sink or swim? We chose to weather the coronavirus and “see it through.”

Public schools, colleges, and universities, across the United States, turned to virtual learning to get through the spring and summer semesters of school. Many struggled to develop their online classes leaving parents frustrated and worried about their students’ educational future. The CABPES organization decided to roll up its sleeves and produce the first-ever virtual JETS Program.

Our engineers designed a successful six-weeks virtual JETS program. We created classes for middle and high school students. We enrolled 102 students into the virtual JETS program. Students that registered for the program came from Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, and Texas. The classes that we taught included aerospace engineering, automation engineering, biomedical science, civil engineering, and computer science. Our engineers did an outstanding job teaching the classes.

Also, we ran an online math tutoring program using IXL computer software. Sixty-seven students enrolled in the online math program. Students picked up where they ended during the school year. As of today, our students have solved over 71,000 math problems.

I want to thank the following staff and volunteers for their hard work and dedication to the virtual JETS program. Many thanks to Ishmael Thomas, Janice Jennings, Erin Rist, Dr. Shirley Leali, Terry Manns, Mark Smith, Adrien Bossogo-Egoume, Reuben Patterson, Dr. Charlotte Brigham, Earl White, Dr. Jimmie Jacobs, Austin Dada, Dr. Arthur Antoine, Marsha Nelson and a host of volunteers from the City & County of Denver, Department of Transportation & Infrastructure.

Also, thanks to the dedicated students and parents for participating in our first-ever virtual JETS program.

Lastly, virtual learning in the CABPES organization is here to stay. We are in the process of planning our fall programs. CABPES will not have face-to-face classes in the fall. Please stay tuned; we will be sharing our fall plans in the next couple of weeks. Be Safe!

Blessings,
Dewey F. Brigham, Jr., Ph.D.
CABPES President and Executive Director

On January 18, the CABPES Junior Engineers, Tomorrow’s Scientists (JETS) student’s team, Team Tropicana, participated in the Colorado Future City Competition at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO. Team Tropicana student team members include: Jahmil Butler, Kori Hill, William Mitchell, Rahil Shah, Benjamin Yimer and Zachariah Yimer.

Future City is one of the nation’s leading engineering education programs and has received national recognition and acclaim for its role in encouraging middle school students to develop their interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Future City is for 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th graders and challenges them to provide an answer to the question, “How can we make the world a better place?”

Team Tropicana designed a Future City that had one of the most advanced technological water quality systems in the competition. This was our first time ever competing in the Future City Colorado Regional Competition. Our students took the 3^rd Place Team Award; the John Elway Future Transportation Award; and the American Society of Civil Engineers, “Dream BIG Award.”

Congratulations, CABPES is proud of our JETS students!