EXPANDING THE HSTA MODEL OF SCIENCE EDUCATION PHASE II

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This is an application to request funding to continue the dissemation of the Health Science and Technology Academy (HSTA) model of biomedical and behavioral science to four counties in West Virginia high school students who are financially disadvantaged or are minorities. The HSTA programming is currently active in 23 counties. The long-term objectives of HSTA are to increase the number of underrepresented students who complete post-secondary education in the health sciences such as medicine, nursing, dentistry and pharmacy. Consequently the outcome is to increase the number of health care providers from the program's targeted population that practice in medically under-served West Virginia rural communities. Methods to achieve the long-term goals include the exposure of students to challenging extended extracurricular science learning during the school year, and to the institutional faculty during the summer for a real experience of extended investigations. The students will also be guided to use students created Teacher Facilitated Club-based Web Sites to further disseminate globally the academic enrichment materials and inquiry-based science project they carry out through this exposure. The HSTA educational approach will impact the regular school science curriculum and the local communities through direct biomedical sciences and behavioral health sciences exposure of both teachers and students. The initiative is applauded by the WV Educational Schools Department, by the local Education Board, and by the local community members as a program that has the potential of making a great impact on both the students' learning and the state of WV health statistics.