SCIENCE GENIUS Educational studies faculty member Edmund Adjapong with students at Pelham Gardens Middle School.
also began working with students in other schools. In
from cities or not. “One of my goals as a faculty member
2013, he and Emdin teamed up with rapper GZA, a found-
at Seton Hall is to bring more of an urban lens to the
ing member of the Wu-Tang Clan, to launch the Science
program and prepare our teachers to be effective in
Genius program. Students spend a semester writing raps
urban settings.” To that end, he developed a class called
that demonstrate their understanding of scientific con-
“Hip-Hop Through the Context of Urban Education.” He
cepts, and then each participating school sends one team
and his students talk about gender, race, class and many
to perform their rap in a citywide battle.
of the other issues affecting urban youth.
Photo by Michael Paras
Adjapong’s research suggests that the program helps
Although Emdin has been working alongside Adjapong
foster engagement, but it also seems to help students re-
for years, he continues to be amazed by his former
tain the material. The students don’t write “fluff,” he says.
student’s transformation. “When you see him in front
“They’re able to have a deep understanding through craft-
of the classroom, whether you’re talking about grad
ing the raps because they’re able to make the connections
students or you’re talking about sixth graders, it’s
between the content and their lived experiences.”
glowingly apparent that this is a gift and he’s found his
Adjapong still works with high-school students as a mentor and as director of the Science Genius program.
calling,” Emdin says. “Edmund Adjapong is a magical human being.” n
But now he has a new role: giving teachers the tools they need to succeed in urban schools, whether they come
Cassandra Willyard is a freelance writer based in Madison, Wis.
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