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PARTNERS Oakland Unified School District Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) is a large urban district with 67 elementary schools (grades K-5); 16 middle schools (grades 6-8); 6 comprehensive senior high schools (grades 9-12) and 12 alternative education centers serving students from grades 6-12. The District’s population of approximately 50,000 students is 45% African American, 30% Latino, 18% Asian/Pacific Islander, 5.5% Caucasian, .5% Native American and 1% other. A majority of Oakland students are from low- or moderate-income families—nearly 60% qualify for free or reduced price lunch. More than 32 languages are spoken in Oakland schools and 35% of OUSD students are English Learners. While test scores have risen in recent years, all but 15 of Oakland’s schools have an Academic Performance Index (API) score of 4 or lower. The District’s high-school dropout rate has improved markedly in recent years, but is still higher than the statewide average. This level of academic and social need poses a great challenge, but also represents an opportunity for innovative education programs such as Health and Biomedical Science for a Diverse Community. Fruitvale, a K-5 elementary school in the Oakland Unified School District, has more than 700 multi-culturally diverse students. There are two main language groups for bilingual classes, Vietnamese and Spanish, but there are over 10 other languages in use at the school. Fruitvale Elementary School seeks to prepare these diverse students to continue their education through college or vocational school. The energetic and dedicated staff is always working hard to improve instruction for the students. They are very proud of their wonderful parent involvement and community partnerships, representing many hours of volunteer time at their school. Hoover is a K-5 elementary school in the Oakland Unified School District. There are over 400 students enrolled in the school, many of whom come from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. Through classroom instruction and after-school programs, Hoover is dedicated in its mission to encourage students to learn and seek higher education. The Biology Scholars Program (BSP), funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, is a diversity program in UC Berkeley's Department of Molecular and Cell Biology. The goal of BSP is to increase the diversity of Berkeley students who succeed in their biology majors and careers. Program components include a course introducing new students to the "culture" of the university; university science, academic and personal advising; academic support that promotes collaborative learning and encourages student participation; funded research opportunities and internships both on and off-campus; mentoring by culturally sensitive faculty and staff; and student networking/peer advising in both an academic and social context. Since the program was established in 1992, minority BSP members have graduated with biology degrees in equivalent percentages and with GPAs equivalent to non-BSP majority students in spite of entering the University with lower high school GPAs and SAT scores. Participants in the Biology Scholars Program are recruited for presenter positions in Health and Biomedical Science for a Diverse Community. Presenters assist teachers by presenting activities in the classroom and present activities at family nights and festivals. FACES for the Future: Health Professions Internship Partnership FACES for the Future: Health Professions Internship Partnership (HPIP) is a novel program developed at Children’s Hospital & Research Center at Oakland. This program provides education to minority high school students with the goal of encouraging them to pursue career opportunities in health-related fields. Students in this program are recruited for presenter positions in Health and Biomedical Science for a Diverse Community. Each FACES presenter is paired with a Biology Scholar to present activities in the classroom and at the family nights and festivals. Explorit!, founded in 1982, is located in Davis, California. Its mission is "To involve people in science experiences that touch our lives." This small, hands-on, science center serves about 60,000 people a year in a ten to twelve-county region. Explorit! serves the general public and school groups at its facility, and also provides schools and communities with a selection of traveling programs. Explorit's Health in Your World program was used for the 2005 family festival of Health and Biomedical Science for a Diverse Community. A leader in the education technology market, LeapFrog develops revolutionary ways to help teachers teach and students learn. LeapFrog products use a multisensory approach that captures students' attention and makes them full participants in the learning process. LeapFrog SchoolHouse publishes award-winning assessment and curriculum content for PreK–Grade 8. Their interactive, research-based programs are enhanced by proprietary, technology-based Personal Learning Tools (PLTs). Designed specifically to meet the needs of today's classroom, LeapFrog SchoolHouse™ PLTs redefine the relationship between curriculum and technology by delivering portable, affordable, special-purpose learning devices to children. These tools and programs enable teachers to personalize student instruction, instantly assess and monitor student progress relative to state and national standards, and easily integrate the programs into classroom learning. Health and Biomedical Science for a Diverse Community uses Quantum Pads and an interactive book on asthma developed by LeapFrog. Housed within the walls of San Francisco's landmark Palace of Fine Arts, the Exploratorium is a collage of hundreds of interactive exhibits in the areas of science, art, and human perception. The Exploratorium stands in the vanguard of the movement of the "museum as educational center." It provides access to, and information about, science, nature, art, and technology. This unique museum was founded in 1969 by noted physicist and educator Dr. Frank Oppenheimer, who devoted his efforts to it—and was its director—until his death in 1985. Dr. Goéry Delacôte, a renowned French scientist, science educator, and public servant, was named executive director of the Exploratorium in February 1991. Health and Biomedical Science for a Diverse Community receives advice and assistance from the staff of the Exploratorium's Microscope Imaging Station, a SEPA project. Established in 1968, Lawrence Hall of Science (LHS) is a public science center with exciting hands-on experiences for learners of all ages. LHS is a national leader in the development of model programs for teaching and learning science and mathematics. Family Health: Explorations for Schools and Science Centers is an LHS project that has been funded by a SEPA grant from the National Institutes of Health as well as a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. The Family Health staff, working with the UC School of Public Health, Center for Community Wellness, develops innovative hands-on health science activities and follow-up materials for participating schools in the Bay Area. The program also collaborates with parent and teen health promoters at participating schools. Some of the project activities include: Medical Mystery Festivals at schools and community sites presented in Spanish and English; Teen Health Theatre performances by high school students; and annual Family Health Conferences that bring together parents, teens, teachers, healthcare professionals and community partners. The Family Health project and Health and Biomedical Science for a Diverse Communityshare student activities to maximize the effectiveness of both programs. With over 200 interactive, hi-tech exhibits, The Tech Museum in downtown San Jose is unlike any other museum in the world. One can learn about communication networks, new frontiers in science, lasers, Silicon Valley inventions, biotechnology, and other cutting edge technologies that influence us all. The museum also includes a 360-degree IMAX theater. The Tech is singularly focused on inspiring the innovator in everyone it reaches. Truly hands-on and interactive exhibits, divided among themed galleries, offer guests a truly memorable experience. Health and Biomedical Science for a Diverse Community receives advice and assistance from the staff of The Tech's SEPA project, Life's New Frontier: Public Health Genetics.
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