The Ingenuity Project is a citywide specialized academic program in Baltimore City schools. Students take advanced math and science courses during the school day in place of the standard curriculum and have opportunities for ongoing enrichment and support. The program is in four Baltimore City public schools (Hamilton, James McHenry, Mount Royal, and Roland Park). Accepted students transfer into their Ingenuity placement at one of these four middle schools for the duration of three years (grades 6-8). Students become members of these new middle schools and participate in standard or honors coursework (English Language Arts and Social Studies) offered within the school. Ingenuity is a good fit for students with a history of strong academic performance and the ability to quickly grasp new material and concepts.
Through our application process, admitted middle school students are placed into one of four middle schools citywide programs at the following host schools:
Our Aim
“My child is loving the math program. He is so excited to be learning so many new things and to be moving at a quicker pace than in elementary school.”
— Parent of Ingenuity 6th grade student
Our middle school program has a long history of cultivating students’ curiosity; problem solving ability; perseverance; abstract, qualitative, quantitative and critical thinking; and the communications skills required to succeed in STEM careers or related fields. We want to inspire our students to pursue challenging high school educational paths, and continue their studies in advanced math and science in high school.
Benefits
- Advanced coursework for a diverse, highly motivated cohort of students.
- Internationally recognized Singapore Math in 6th grade to a proven honors high school Algebra I course in 8th grade.
- Experiential and rigorous science and engineering courses.
- Opportunities to showcase science projects and participate in math competitions.
- High standards for student performance that foster academic growth.
- Teachers committed to developing affirming and inclusive classrooms.
Ingenuity Teachers
Ingenuity teachers pay special attention to fostering lifelong academic and personal habits for success. Our teachers cultivate curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, perseverance, confident communication, self-reliance, and leadership.
Our Math Approach
Ingenuity begins in 6th grade with Singapore Math, an internationally recognized and proven curriculum. Students progress to pre-Algebra in 7th grade, and Honors High School Algebra I in 8th grade. The curriculum includes concrete, pictorial, and abstract understandings that foster mastery and a love for math. Ingenuity requires summer assignments in mathematics to ensure the retention of concepts taught throughout the year. Students also have the choice to participate in regional math competitions
Science and Engineering Curriculum
Ingenuity’s curriculum places a strong emphasis on the scientific inquiry process and investigation with scientific research. Students work with their teachers early in the year to carefully design science projects and compete in school science fairs and the citywide Morgan State Science Fair. Principles of engineering are grounded within long-term projects that promote real-world problem solving and collaboration.
- 7th Grade Curriculum Highlight: students in 7th grade work in teams designing solutions to reduce sediment pollution that reaches the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation was a valuable partner in designing this project.
Student Outcomes
In November 2014, the Baltimore Education Research Consortium (BERC) published a Preliminary Examination of Ingenuity Student Outcomes from the classes of 2008 and 2013. The study sought to determine whether Ingenuity middle school graduates who did not continue in Ingenuity at Poly nonetheless experienced continuing academic benefits from their prior Ingenuity experience. BERC compared Ingenuity students to a suitable comparison group. BERC reached the following conclusions:
- Ingenuity middle school graduates earned, on average, 3.5 credits in math, as compared to 2.5 among comparison students. For advanced science credits, Ingenuity students earned 3.9, as compared to 2.7 among their peers.
- Ingenuity students earned significantly more Advanced Placement credits in high school (9.3 versus 5.8).
- Ingenuity students achieved significantly higher weighted GPAs at the end of high school than comparable students, with an average GPA of 3.0, compared to 2.5 in the comparison group.
- Ingenuity students attained significantly higher scores on the PSAT and SAT tests across all subject areas.
Expectations
The philosophy of the Ingenuity Project is to nurture, develop and encourage the Ingenuity participant. In keeping with this philosophy, students agree to the following pledge when joining the program.
INGENUITY STUDENT PLEDGE:
- I PLEDGE to participate in Ingenuity orientations, enrichment opportunities and experiences to support my development and growth as a STEM leader.
- I PLEDGE to practice these Core Values to help me make good decisions in school and grow as a student and future STEM leader.
- PASSION FOR EXCELLENCE – I will strive for excellence, not perfectionism. There are many ways to achieve excellence and it will require integrity, self-reflection, and resilience. This begins with completing my school assignments and preparing for assessments to the best of my ability.
- SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY – I will seek to use Math, Science, Technology, and Engineering responsibly and ethically to benefit society, our environment, and the greater good.
- CURIOSITY – I will pose meaningful questions to complex problems. I will seek out and value multiple perspectives, participate in dialogue in my classes, and embrace new opportunities.
- INNOVATION – I will take risks and learn from my failures. I will explore new possibilities and look for ways to create positive change around me. This begins with practicing a growth mindset and taking advantage of all opportunities to learn, strengthen my skills, and grow as a student.
- COLLABORATION – I will collaborate across diverse groups by listening, exchanging ideas, sharing power, and helping others develop their skills. This includes asking others for help and advocating for what I need in school.
- INCLUSIVITY – I will create meaningful relationships with people from different cultures and backgrounds. I will affirm and honor others’ interests and perspectives, and I will make authentic efforts to get to know and appreciate all of my classmates regardless of our different life experiences.
Students are also expected to:
- Maintain excellent attendance.
- Consistently make up work missed when absences are needed due to illness.
- Maintain a demeanor that is respectful of fellow Ingenuity students and teachers and which honors the importance of the work and focused class time.
- Earn a final grade of 80% or higher in their math and science classes at the end of the year.
