The University of Nebraska Medical Center, in cooperation with the Native American Studies and Medical Humanities programs at the University of Nebraska, Omaha, will leverage the trust and cooperative spirit that we have garnered working with tribal schools and communities in Nebraska and South Dakota to develop, implement, and evaluate cancer-related science curricula and research experiences aimed to support Native American students. The long-term goals of this project are to promote student interest in the sciences, foster a more science-literate public, and ultimately to increase the number of Native Americans entering health and science careers with a particular emphasis in cancer research. Improving science instruction in the classrooms serving our Native American students and partners is key to this project. This objective will be accomplished by creating and adapting hands-on, age-appropriate lessons and by engagement with technology, Indigenous research methods, and Native science. Teacher support through summer workshops, mentoring, and in-service education will facilitate implementation of novel science strategies for use in tribal schools and with Native students. Student engagement will be enhanced through summer experiences from science camps for middle school to longer enriching programs for high school students. Moreover, select high school and undergraduate students will participate in long term research projects with the support of mentors. Programs reaching beyond the classroom will be designed to give parents and elders the sense of excitement and an understanding of what students feel when doing science. Ancillary benefits will include promoting educational opportunities, cancer awareness, the promise of clinical research and the the value of precision medicine for Native Americans. Professional evaluations will be made at all stages, with major emphasis being placed on evaluating the educational and community impact of the project. Research techniques including baseline and post measures will be conducted to assess the level of community readiness to address cancer within Native communities and schools. Analyses of attitudes and subject content, participant evaluation questionnaires, and student retrospective pretests will also be done. Advancing the health of Native American communities by better cancer prevention and treatment and increasing the numbers of Native American cancer research professionals is the ultimate aim of every aspect of this project.
Cancer educational programs to underserved communities serve many purposes. In addition to opportunities to work in cutting-edge cancer research laboratories, exposure to hands-on science lessons, ideas related to healthy living, and missions of the National Institutes of Health will supplement their classroom pedagogy in this program. The community outreach will increase awareness of cancer-related health and science research professions among American Indian communities and help to bridge the significant gap in health and education disparities.
