| Harlem
Children Society: An Experiment with K-12 Science Education
by
Sat Bhattacharya, Ph.D.
I
am
a research scientist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
in New York City. I constantly train and teach young medical students,
physicians and other personnel. As a service to the community,
I began to extend my services to the public schools in Harlem,
giving bright and motivated young kids an opportunity to become
initiated directly into the world of science.
With that dream in mind, three years ago, I founded The ‘Harlem
Children Society’, which is now recognized by the city, state
and federal governments. The Society is devoted to meeting the
scientific education and developmental needs of children and young
adolescents living or attending school in under-resourced and
under-privileged neighborhoods. Emphasis is placed on the pursuit
of higher education and career achievement by providing knowledge,
skills, guidance and understanding
High school students in under-resourced neighborhoods were interviewed
and selected for projects which were funded by a grant from the
American Chemical Society.
All the students were given a thorough background in the sciences
related to the projects. Other scientists and researchers gave
them frequent lectures and tutorials. They were given rigorous
training relating to the techniques, safe and proper handling
of devices, instruments, chemicals & biological agents relating
to the ongoing projects.
At the end of the summer, the students were required to summarize
their work and present their results in the laboratory and were
encouraged to compete with other students at several regional
and national science conferences and competitions.
Among
their many accomplishments were: Silver Medal Winner in Medicine
& Health in Hudson County Science Fair, The United States
Army, Navy, & Air Force Certificate of Achievements Award,
1st place in New Jersey Biomedical Cancer Research Symposium at
Rider. Two of the students are presently attending Rutgers and
Dartmouth University and two students were accepted at seven year
combined undergraduate and medical schools at UMDNJ and Swarthmore
University.
This year we have received funding to support nine students as
interns in other laboratories and institutions in the city like
Columbia University.#
Education
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