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HHMI deserves special recognition for being the catalyst to start the Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) in 1994. HSTA began with 44 students and 9 teachers in two WEst Virginia counties with $175,000 award for 5 years from HHMI. Today HSTA covers half the state of West Virginia and includes nearly 600 students, 67 teachers and over 120 community volunteers. One hundred sixty one students have graduated from high school as successful HSTA graduates and 95% have gone on to college and 51% have chosen health careers majors.
The Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) reaches out to 9th-12th grade under-represented students and encourages them to consider health careers through support towards higher education. HSTA then tracks their success in college and professional school. The goal is to nurture the ambitions of talented students who, for economic or other reasons, might not ordinarily achieve these career goals. HSTA is a partnership among the numerous units of West Virginia University, West Virginia Rural Health Education Partnership and many Appalachian communities. The program brings minority and disadvantaged students and their teachers to campus each summer for clinic, laboratory, and classroom training and enrichment activities, then provides the infrastructure and support for community-based science projects mentored by teachers, health professions students and volunteer community leaders during the school year. HSTA aims to share the resources and talent of the partnership, to encourage public school teachers' and community leaders' mentoring of students. The ultimate goal is to increase the college-going rate among under-represented students in the Appalachian region, to improve science and math education, to empower communities through leadership development of their youth, and, ultimately, to increase the number of health care providers in West Virginia's currently under-served rural communities.
NOTEWORTHY OUTCOMES
The West Virginia State Legislature passed, unanimously, WV HB 2786 in April, 1997, which allows West Virginia State Colleges and Universities to provide tuition and fee waivers to students who successfully complete HSTA.
The West Virginia State Legislature has given substantial financial support to HSTA over the past three years.
; Attitudes toward Math and Science among the HSTA students show a much more positive trend than the general population.
37% of the HSTA students have earned 3 units of college credit in math through HSTA before they enter the 12th grade.
HSTA students feel more interested in health careers because of HSTA.
HSTA teachers feel HSTA student's interests in health careers is increased through HSTA activities.
HSTA teachers see HSTA students trying to improve their grades (with success) to stay in HSTA.
17 HSTA teachers have gained a Masters in Secondary Education with a Science Focus through HSTA.
HSTA teachers say HSTA courses contribute a great deal to their professional development.
HSTA teachers feel they learn a great deal from facilitating HSTA clubs.
51% of college going HSTA students choose science technology and health majors, with 20% still undecided and the remaining23% choosing other majors including 4% teaching.
HSTA students say HSTA is a major reason they are going to college.
HSTA students say HSTA is a major reason they choose science majors/health careers.
HSTA students are doing well in college with an average GPA of reporting college students at 3.095.
Some important comparative statistics include: 53.08percent of WV High School Graduates (2000)enter college where 95percent of HSTA graduates enter college. The average WV ACT score is 20.20 where the average HSTA ACT score is 21.47. The average high school GPA for West Virginia high school graduates is 2.51 where the HSTA students graduate with an average GPA of 3.57.
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