This application requests support for three science teachers and eight students under the auspices of the NCRR K-12 Teachers and High School Students' program at Alabama State University (ASU). The objectives of the ASU program are: (1) to provide science teachers with the opportunity to stay on the cutting edge of scientific knowledge in health-related areas, enable them to develop new discovery-oriented educational strategies, and transfer this knowledge to their students; and (2) to provide high school juniors and seniors with personalized, hands-on stimulating research experiences that will encourage decisions to pursue careers in health sciences. The long-range goal of the program is to develop and strengthen partnerships between ASU and K-12 schools by developing mentoring among teachers, disadvantaged students, and biomedical researchers which will: (1) result in creating more pathways for disadvantaged students to pursue careers in the health sciences; and (2) increase the pool of disadvantaged high school students who are academically prepared, interested and motivated to pursue careers in biomedical/health sciences. The ASU program will entail a structured research-program for eight weeks during the summer. It will be combined with summer and academic year enrichment activities. Both students and teachers will be provided with personalized hands-on stimulating research experiences under the direction of active biomedical researchers at ASU. This will culminate into a written paper and an oral or poster presentation at the end of summer. In addition, the teachers will be guided in developing new discovery-oriented educational strategies. Both students and teachers will attend weekly seminars on biomedical research/health careers, and bioethical issues in science and take field trips to the area colleges and universities. An awards banquet will be held at the end of summer program and certificates awarded to the participants. During the academic year, K-12 science teachers and interested students will be invited to attend the role model seminar series on biomedical research/health science careers, visit research labs at ASU, and interact with active biomedical researchers. ASU scientist mentors will also visit the area K-12 schools to meet with teachers and follow-up on their integration of new science concepts into the classroom, to recruit future candidates for the program and help build an effective partnership between ASU and K-12 schools. The program will be evaluated on short-and-long term basis by the program staff, faculty mentors, and teacher/student participants. Students will be tracked to determine their college, academic major and ultimately their career choices.
