A look back at the 2021-2022 academic year for the OPTIM Success Team with Isabelle Duband, teacher at the Arts et Métiers campus Arts et Métiers Cluny and equal opportunities and gender diversity officer.
The OPTIM success team consists of the Arts et Métiers campus Arts et Métiers Cluny and six secondary schools:
- 2 high schools: La Prat’s (Cluny) and Henri Parriat (Montceau-les-Mines)
- 4 middle schools:
- Saint-Exupéry and Robert Schuman (Mâcon), in the city's political district;
- Saint-Cyr (Matour) and En Fleurette (Saint-Gengoux-le-National), in isolated rural areas.
This school year, 68 students from the Cluny campus tutored:
- 54 students in grades 8 and 9 at Saint-Cyr and Saint-Exupéry middle schools;
- 27 students from 10th grade to post-baccalaureate (BTS and CPGE) at La Prat's high school.
We are delighted to have been able to return to in-person tutoring for almost the entire school year. The bonds formed between students and their mentees through face-to-face interaction are very beneficial in helping young people progress academically and build self-confidence. I would like to thank and congratulate the tutors for their volunteer work with the students in the program. The three student team leaders played an important role in ensuring that the tutoring sessions ran smoothly, emphasizes Isabelle Duband.
This school year, twenty-three students from Grande Ecole Engineering Programme were recognized and supported in their roles as tutors. As part of a Call for Expressions of Interest (AMI) with the University of Bourgogne-France-Comté and on a voluntary basis, these students participated in three training sessions:
- Keys and resources for learning how to learn;
- Identify your strengths and successes and share them;
- Identify experiences outside the curriculum.
From left to right: Clarisse BOURBON / Head of Saint-Cyr Middle School, Daphnée NICOLIN Head of Saint-Exupéry Middle School, and Marine PERRIER /Head of La Prat’s High School.
Being part of the OPTIM program has been a very rewarding experience for me, both personally and professionally. I have always wanted to help others, and this was a way for me to do so. It is very satisfying when a student improves their academic performance thanks to us and gains confidence in their abilities. Professionally, you learn a lot about yourself and develop organizational and communication skills that will be useful in your future careers, says Marine Perrier, tutor at Cluny High School.
This program received support from the NCU RITM-BFC project, reference ANR-17-NCUN-0003.
In parallel with tutoring, the OPTIM group organizes occasional activities to broaden young people's horizons.
Examples of events that took place in 2021-2022:
Engineering and Technical Day at Montceau-les-Mines High School
The round tables were moderated by:
- professionals (female engineers, technicians, site managers);
- female students (PGE in Cluny and IUT in Le Creusot).
These were:
- raise students' awareness of the world of engineering;
- prove that girls can thrive in engineering studies;
- raise the profile of women working in science and technology.
Middle school students learning engineering
Students from Mâcon spent a day on the Cluny campus.
On the agenda:
- Mini foundry practical (making sand molds, demonstration of a casting);
- Lunch at the university restaurant;
- CAD (Computer-Aided Design) workshop led by a teacher.
Divided into four groups, the middle school students participated in a collaborative design exercise using CAD software. Each team was accompanied by two first-year students. At the end of the session, the different groups presented their projects. A vote was held to choose the most attractive one.
In 2021-2022, 46 first- and second-year students from the Cluny PGE were mobilized to participate in eleven OPTIM one-off initiatives. These students have contributed to the positive image of our institution, says Isabelle Duband.
