VCU Health Education Opportunities for Teachers (HERO-T)

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Project Summary Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) seeks to renew the Health Educational Research Opportunities for Teachers (HERO-T) program, a two -year research and professional development opportunity for science teachers, and expand the Health Educational Research Opportunity and Exploration for Students (HEROES) enrichment program for secondary students in the Richmond, Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. These programs, grounded in theory, are designed based upon a combination of data derived from current literature related to the impact of research experiences for teachers and literature on student engagement in science. The wealth of experience of the investigators, steering committee, and advisory board members will enable the successful implementation of this program. The goals of the HERO-T and HEROES programs are to 1. cultivate in teachers the skills needed to conduct cutting edge biomedical research and translate that research experience into curricula for their students and 2. increase student awareness of and exposure to research in the biomedical sciences and foster in them scientific investigation skills. These goals will be accomplished by: 1. Selecting three new secondary science teachers annually (15 teachers total), HERO-T fellows, to participate in a two year experience consisting of two eight week summer research experiences and a two year professional learning community (PLC) during the school year. 2. Providing teachers with research training, professional development, and coaching. 3. Engaging twenty secondary students annually in the HEROES Academy (up to 100 students total), a monthly enrichment program to build their awareness of careers in biomedicine/ biomedical research and cultivate their scientific investigation skills. 4. Selecting ten talented students annually (50 students total), HEROES scholars, to participate in the HEROES Externship, a one week summer research program, and the Center on Health Disparities Summer Research Symposium. In the first four years of the grant, 12 teachers were trained, 83% from high-need schools and 67% from underrepresented groups. The HERO-T fellows have developed more than 12 lesson plans from their research to be used in an average of 2 classes per fellow per year impacting over 150 students in the first year to now over 1,200 secondary students annually. More than $10,000 has been used to purchase laboratory supplies for the teachers’ classes thus amplifying the long lasting impact of their research experience. Thirty-nine students have participated in the HEROES program. Approximately 75% of the students have come from high need schools and 80% are from underrepresented groups. This grant request is for another five years of support.