The overall goal of the planned precollege science enrichment program is to increase the pool of minority precollege students who are motivated and academically prepared to pursue careers in biomedical research and the health professions. The program will target minority high school students and K-12 inservice and preservice teachers who teach (or plan to teach) in schools with a significant number of minority students. The main component of the program will be a seven-week summer science research experience for students and teachers under the supervision of active biomedical researchers who will act as mentors. The students will receive a meaningful individualized hands-on laboratory-based research experience with the objective of conveying to them that science is fun and nonthreatening so that they would be stimulated to take more science courses. A similar summer research experience will be provided to the teachers to update and enhance their technological and methodological knowledge so that they can bring a sense of excitement to the classroom. The research experiences will be supplemented with additional science enrichment activities for both students and teachers during the summer and the academic year. At the end of the summer, participants will give oral presentations and submit written reports of what they had accomplished during the summer. Through these presentations, students will gain insight about the demands of the work place and their own ability to succeed. Intensive mentoring will be emphasized throughout the summer and the academic year. Students will be provided instruction to enhance their knowledge of biomedical sciences and their problem-solving skills. Teachers will be given assistance in designing simple modern laboratory experiments for classroom use. Preservice teachers will be provided research experiences during the summer and the academic year. They will receive college credits which will count toward their certification program. Mentors will visit high schools with large minority enrollment to give lectures/demonstrations and to recruit participants for the succeeding summer. The long-range goal of the program is to develop linkages between K-12 teachers, high school students and Wright State biomedical researchers. Minority biomedical scientists from Wright State University and private sector organizations will act as role models and will discuss with students career paths, requirements and opportunities. Efforts will be made to involve parents in the program as much as possible. Follow-up surveys of the participants will be an essential component of the program. At three-month intervals, students will be surveyed as to changes in their attitudes toward science, academic performance, professional and career goals and choices. They will be tracked through high school, college and if, resources permit, through graduate/professional schools.
