Bay Area Discovery Museum's Center for Childhood Creativity to Receive Award for Excellence

The Bay Area Discovery Museum announced today that its Center for Childhood Creativity has been selected to receive the Superintendent's Award for Excellence in Museum Education Competition, recognizing outstanding achievements in museum programs that serve K-12 students and/or educators.

The Bay Area Discovery Museum launched the Center for Childhood Creativity (CCC) in 2011 to pioneer new research, thought-leadership, and teacher training programs that advance creative thinking for all children extending the Museum's impact beyond the Museum site into the broader community and beyond.

The Museum's Center for Childhood Creativity develops and implements innovative, research-based professional development programs for preK to 5th grade teachers. Supporting the adoption of Common Core State Standards, programs bridge the divide between brain research and education practice by providing tailored pedagogical training and instructional tools for teachers to educate our next generation of creative thinkers.

Through partnerships with California school districts, the CCC trains hundreds of educators annually through 2-3 day summer intensives and a series of follow-on trainings throughout the academic year. School and district administrators, as well as parents and caregivers, are engaged through evening lectures and experiential sessions to provide a holistic, supportive network for the learners at the center of this project: preK and K-5 educators.

About the Superintendent's Award for Excellence in Museum Education Competition

Six California museums have been selected to receive the Superintendent's Award for Excellence in Museum Education Competition, recognizing outstanding achievements in museum programs that serve K-12 students and/or educators. The 2014 winners are:

Bay Area Discovery Museum - Center for Childhood Creativity
California State Parks - Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students (PORTS) Distance Learning Program
Leonis Adobe Museum - Leonis Adobe California Ranch Life
Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo - Hands! On Elementary School Science
Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Library - Air Force One Discovery Center
Skirball Cultural Center - Build a Better World: A Museum/School/Community Partnership

The annual competition is the joint project of CAM and the Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. The winning programs will be presented with their awards at the 2014 CAM annual luncheon on March 6, 2014, held in conjunction with CAM's annual conference. Representatives will also participate in a session immediately following the luncheon.

For additional information about the winning programs or the Superintendent's Award program, see http://www.calmuseums.org/superintendentsawards.

About the Bay Area Discovery Museum
Creative thinking begins early in every child's life. It enables original thought and the ability to see solutions where others don't. It unlocks possibilities and fosters innovation. It provides the fundamental building blocks for success in school and beyond.

The Bay Area Discovery Museum is designed to ignite creative thinking in children. 7.5 acres of natural beauty inspires families to engage in a world of possibilities. Framed by the majestic backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Museum is a space for imaginations to run wild. Every curated detail of our exhibits brings creative thinking to life for all stages of childhood. Navigate winding tunnels to develop physical and intellectual risk-taking skills. Feel the rush of cold-water tide pools that surprise and awaken curiosity. Imagine new worlds by transforming into a spider, a ship captain, or a bridge builder. At every turn is a new opportunity to challenge the boundaries of creativity.

Now we are taking these experiences beyond our physical location. We launched the Center for Childhood Creativity in 2011 to pioneer new research, thought-leadership, and teacher training programs that advance creative thinking in all children-extending our impact beyond the Museum.

Our mission: to ignite and advance creative thinking for all children.