Co-Op Essay

Strengths-Weakness

Opportunities-Threats

CO-OP Essay

In the summer of 2005 I had the opportunity to intern at The Franklin Institute Museum in PA. This museum is one of the many well known science museums across the country. The Franklin Institute Museum is a unique museum that gives the experience of exploring science in a fun and fascinating way. The museum touches bases on many areas of science such as, anatomy, physics, environmental sciences, and space. The Franklin Institute is named after Benjamin Franklin and is the home of his national memorial statue. It was founded in 1824 and its first building was established in 1825; since then its location has changed with in the city of Philadelphia but it still remains to be one of the oldest and premier centers of science education and development in the country.

My internship experience at the Franklin Institute was an astonishing and pleasurable experience that I will never forget. Over the summer I had the opportunity to work with the Franklin Institute "Discovery Camp", which is camp geared toward 6 to 13 year old children who have an interest in science. During my summer internship we did many activities which were geared towards an area in science. For example, I participated in various chemistry experiments as well as the a mummification of frog.

My SWOT Analysis of the Franklin Institute is my observations from my time there during the summer, the strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats about the institute and my experience are followed:

Strengths:

The strong point of the program is the children. It gives an opportunity for young children and teens to explore a passion they may have and find more of an interest in science. In expanding a child's mind it gives them the opportunity to go farther in depth with the passion they may have for the subject. Exposing our children to a program like this, plants seeds for future doctors, scientist and much more. The program gives them knowledge and understanding about the many areas of science. By teaching the kids and making sure they have a fun but educational summer, it gives parents the ease of knowing that their children are being educated while away from school. In the program being successful in making parents as well as the children happy, it gives the opportunity for more exposure to other parents and schools. The program also has strength in providing high school students and college students with the opportunity to get the experience they may need in dealing with science related areas, as well as conducting programs, helping children and being a role model.

Weakness:

The weakness of the program is the lack of organization skills that the program's administrator, volunteers and college counselors may have.