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Since its inception in 1992 at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMC), Base Pair has enabled public high school students to publish in professional scientific forums and continue in high numbers to undergraduate, graduate and career science training. Base Pair has trained teachers to write grants bringing over $200,000 in new funds into classrooms, stimulated a new high school curriculum (Student Oriented Academic Research, SOAR) and introduced student-delivered science presentations to the public via a Community Science Forum. This success is based on mutual respect between UMC and its major partner, the Jackson Public School District (JPSD). With this foundation, Base Pair proposes to further its influence over science education reform even more widely. The JPSD is promoting an emphasis on Advanced Placement (AP) courses to systemically stimulate educational advancement. A reorientation of Base Pair's teacher professional development program (the Summer Research Institute, SRI) to include JPSD Science Coaches will complement that initiative. Dissemination of Base Pair philosophies is expected by virtue of the impact of JPSD policies state-wide. Developing relationships with school districts outside the JPSD, including a novel Rural Biomedical Initiative (RBI), and with the Department of Education at an undergraduate liberal arts college, Millsaps College, will further advance Base Pair objectives. Base Pair will continue efforts in four areas, Student Activities, Teacher Professional Development, Multi-component & Other Activities and Family & Community Outreach, and expand into Post-secondary Student & Postdoctoral Fellow Activities with Millsaps College. Base Pair will: 1) refine the biomedical research mentorship interaction between high school students in the JPSD and UMC faculty researchers with summer fellowships for high school students in UMC laboratories; 2) increase the number of teachers served by professional development summer activities at UMC (the SRI) by training JPSD Science Coaches to supplement teacher comprehension of AP Biology coursework and laboratory activities; 3) expand the SOAR curriculum to all high school sites within the JPSD; and establish a model, the RBI, for inquiry-based biomedical secondary school training outside the Jackson Metro area; 4) maintain community educational outreach efforts, including the Base Pair web site and student-led Community Science Forum presentations to the general public; and 5) initiate a relationship with Millsaps College to involve undergraduate science majors seeking secondary teacher licensure in SRI training efforts. Base Pair has adopted a model (A Road Map for Improvement of Student Learning and Support Services through Assessment, J.O. Nichols, K.W. Nichols, Agathon Press, 2005) widely employed in structuring educational program improvement to drive enhancement of program activities. Program Administration comprises a Program Director and Co-Director (UMC faculty) and an Advisory Council of JPSD and UMC senior personnel, parents and alumnae, and Base Pair/SOAR Lead Teachers. The activities coordinated by Base Pair use the positive influence of professional biomedical researchers as a powerful tool to increase expectations and bolster academic preparation for careers in biomedical research, education and health care delivery.
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