ACADEMY OF BIOTECHNOLOGY AT NORTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL

Dina Link

Coordinator, Academy of Biotechnology

Teacher, Biology and Molecular Biotechnology

Agenda

Speaker’s Background Context for the Program

State & County Career Education Programs Northwest High School

The Program Description Resources Challenges

About the Speaker

BS in Microbiology 2 ½ years research bench technician 11 years in the Biotechnology Industry in

technical support and Marketing MA in Education Currently in the 8th year of teaching science at

Northwest High School County-wide Curriculum development: Molecular Biotechnology

Course; 7th grade Investigations in Science Coordinator of Academy of Biotechnology @ NWHS

Awaiting status for National Board Certification

Introduction to MCPS

Montgomery County Public Schools One of 24 school districts in

the state of Maryland 16th largest school system in

the US With 139,000 students it is

the largest in Maryland 130 elementary schools 38 Middle schools 25 High Schools 1 Career and Technology

Center 5 Special or Alternative Schools

Career and Technology Education in MCPS Vision

Combine rigorous academic and technical study with the excitement of discovery through small learning communities and career-theme programs.

With the support of the business and higher education communities, students will apply their acquired skills and knowledge to make informed decisions concerning education, careers, and a path toward lifelong learning.

Career Pathways

CTE programs organized in Career “clusters” Current offerings:

Arts & Communication Bioscience and Medicine Business Construction and Development Education & Training Engineering & Manufacturing Environmental Resources Hospitality Information Technology Law & Government

Career Pathway Programs Fastest-Growing Professions

2006-2016

Finance Health Care Information Technology/Engineering Personal Services Social/Human Services

Source: U.S. Department of Labor

Career Pathway Programs

MCPS Model:Rigor + Relevance + Relationships = ENGAGEMENT

Career Pathway Programs Impact of Model Implementation

Relevance inspires academic Rigor…

Credentialing on the rise Advanced placement participation increasing Math choices more rigorous More students with four science credits Internship quality/quantity increasing

My internship was the most enlightening and helpful experience I have had in my 13 years in MCPS.

AOF Student

Career Pathway Programs

2007 Wage Data – 2001 MCPS Graduates

Figure 1. Quarterly Wages from September 2001 to September 2007 for Matched Pairs of Students from the MCPS Class of 2001 by CTE Completion.

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Q3 2001 Q3 2002 Q3 2003 Q3 2004 Q3 2005 Q3 2006 Q3 2007

No CTE

CTE Completer

Note: Wage data are reported for 538 matched pairs of graduates. Wages are not adjusted for inflation.

Source: 2007 Lifelong Learning and Earning Six-year Study

Career Pathway ProgramsGoal 1: Ensure Success for Every

Student MCPS Strategic Plan, Our Call to Action

By 2014…

Thirty percent of all MCPS graduates will complete a Career Pathway Program (CPP).

Of the graduates completing a CPP, 80 percent will be prepared for college and careers (dual completion).

Career Pathway Programs

Impact of Model Implementation

Dual completion students…

Graduate from college more often Graduate in less time Obtain better paying jobs

Source: 1999 and Preliminary 2007 MCPS Lifelong Learning and Earning Six-year Stud

Career Clusters

Biosciences & Medicine Career Pathway Programs

Career Pathway Program Number of MCPS HS Offering

Academy of Health Professions2

Biotechnology 3

Biotechnology – Project Lead the Way Model

1

Medical Careers/ Health Management

3

Medical Careers/ Physical Therapist

Biotechnology

Students are officially enrolled in the program in their Junior Year; 4 credit hours min. for completion

Recommended foundation courses in 9th and 10th grade Biology Chemistry Physics

Honors level suggested, but not required; case-by-case judgment

BiotechnologyProgram Completion Requirements

Biotechnology

Benefits Articulation agreement with

Montgomery College for up to five credits

AP college credit options Student internship opportunities ex.

HHMI and CARB DNA Resource Center- professional

development, reagents

Biotechnology Models in MCPS Career and Technology Center

11th & 12th Grade Students from multiple home schools

½ day instruction in recreated “real-world” setting Wall-to-Wall Academy High School

All Students ID Preferred Academy in 10th Grade Home School – all courses in the same building Biotechnology course in standard HS science classroom

Voluntary Smaller Learning Community Imbedded within a traditional comprehensive HS Students choose as rising 9th, 10th or 11th graders Core classes in 11th & 12th grade Biotechnology course in standard HS science classroom

NWHS at a Glance

08/09 enrollment: 2025 students Diversity profile:

35.7% white, 30.6% AA, 16.8% Hisp., 16.6% Asian, 0.3% Nat. Am

Special Programs: 13.4% SPED, 16.2% FARMS, 0.1%

ESOL

Graduation Rate: 90.6% Honors/AP Enrollment: 74.1 % % Meeting USMD Entrance

Requirements: 78.1%

NWHS Small Learning Community Options Ulysses Project Experience – Signature

Program Academy of Biotechnology National Academy of Finance Academy of Commercial and Fine Arts CISCO Networking Academy Academy of Child Development and

Studies

Northwest High SchoolAcademy of Biotechnology

Small Learning Community Model Est. in 2003/2004 School

Year 07/08 Graduating Class: 11

students 08/09 Graduating Class: 14

students Current membership: ~125

students, 9th to 12th grade 09/10 Mol Bio enrollment: 25

students

Academy Goals = CTE Vision

Rigor Molecular

Biotechnology Course: Advanced level credit Aligns with local

Community College “Intro to Biotechnology” course

A grade of B or better gives equivalent college course credit

AP Science encouraged

Relationship Academy science

course sections Student Association

Relevance Embedded Career

exploration Guest speakers Field Trips Internships

Rigor

Molecular Biotechnology Course: Nine Units of StudyUnit Description

1 Biotechnology; Past, Present, and Future

2 Essential Lab Skills and Safety

3 Cell Structure and Function Review

4 Macromolecule Structure and Function

5 Proteins

6 Nucleic Acids

7 Protein Synthesis and Gene Regulation

8 Molecular Technology

9 Legal, Ethical and Funding Issues in Biotechnology

Rigor – Techniques & Technologies Team work – lab groups and

lab group meetings Maintaining a professional

lab notebook Scientific Communication Lab Safety Lab Math – making

solutions Common lab equipment Pipetting – micro and macro Sterile technique Maintaining cell cultures Transformation

DNA extractions Gel electrophoresis:

protein & DNA Restriction enzyme

analysis Protein crystallography PCR ELISA Microarray Microscopy Sequencing Bioinformatics

Relationship

Scheduling & Tracking Academy-designated sections for all

foundation courses Double Period for 11th Grade core course Students tracked in central database

Relationship

Student Association Membership from 9th to 12th grade Student-led: Officers voted in yearly Responsibilities:

Hold Monthly membership meetings Fundraising ID and research Guest Speaker and Field Trip

opportunities Plan and run Graduation Celebration Keep Academy Members informed of specific events and

opportunities in the school and surrounding community Assist in recruitment activities

Relevance

Embedded activities Lab meeting topics – tied to current applied

research for each Unit of study Biotech Company Research Project – semester long

Community connections Year-long Internships strongly encouraged

MCPS/NIH/HHMI program: Open to any MCPS student; competitive

Center for Advanced Research & Biotechnology: Open to CTE students first; competitive

School-based CTE Internship Coordinator: Works with community contacts

Relevance

Field Trips National Library of

Medicine MedImmune Koshland Science

Museum National Aquarium:

behind-the-scenes tour Maryland Science

Museum Montgomery College MDBio Mobile Lab

Resources

County Curriculum: teacher developed and available on Blackboard Blackboard

Primary Text: Biotechnology: Science for the New Millennium, by Ellyn Daugherty Author's resource page

Secondary Text: DNA Science: A First Course, Second Edition, by By David A. Micklos Dolan Resource Center resources

Supplements: NIH Office of Ed. & free web resources NIH Curriculum Supplements HHMI Biointeractive Lecture Series U of Utah Genetic Science Learning Center U of Az Biology Project

Resources

Equipment Initial lab set-up: Federal Perkins Grant Annual small equipment purchases – outside

grants administered by CTE Division Donations: Montgomery College & local

businesses Consumables

DNA Resource Center HHMI funded program housed within MCPS Free materials: DNA extraction, mock Fingerprinting,

RE digest, transformations, plasmid extraction & purification, mock microarray, PCR

Science department purchases Preferred vendors: Edvotek, BioRad, Carolina

Recruitment

NWHS Small Learning Community brochure Distributed to MS Counselors and Science RTs Incoming 9th grade parents Back-to-School Night

Application for Special Program Participation Completed with Course Registration Rising 9th, 10th or 11th grade

School Web Site Direct to students during registration period

– Slide Presentation

Biotechnology Academy at

Northwest High SchoolExperience the Future!

Recruitment Presentation

Does this sound like you?

Fascinated by heredity and the human genome

The molecular workings of the cell intrigue you

Recruitment Presentation

Is this you, continued

The tools of microbiology, forensic science and the research lab appeal to you

A desire to understand how genetic engineering will effect your future.

Recruitment Presentation

What do we do?

Bacteria Cell Culture DNA Electrophoresis

Protein Electrophoresis ELISA detection Recruitment Presentation

Hands-On Labs

Recruitment Presentation

Field TripsRecruitment Presentation

Present Research

Recruitment Presentation

Make Friends and Have Fun!

Recruitment Presentation

Program Goals

Develop & refine lab and research skills

Encourage development and refinement of scientific, investigative and reporting techniques

Improve skills through hands-on problem-solving and computer simulation activities

Expand awareness of possible career choices in the fields of biotechnology

Recruitment Presentation

Benefit to you

Earn college credit in High School (a B or better required)

Learn employment skills needed for rewarding careers

Work in a hands-on state-of-the-art lab environment

Work with others who have similar interests

Learn how biotechnology is applied in medical, agricultural, forensic, environmental and business research

Recruitment Presentation

When can you join the academy? Check off “Academy of Biotechnology”

on your registration card .

Meet the academic requirements to take Honors Biology in 9th Grade. A in 8th grade Science and B or better in 8th grade math

Recruitment Presentation

When can you join the academy? Now!

Current 9th graders can register for Honors Biology, Honors Chemistry or both (if you qualify)

Current 10th graders who have completed Biology and are ready for honors work

Current 11th graders who want the Molecular Biotech experience, if space is available, are welcome

Recruitment Presentation

Challenges

Funding – no budget allocation! Administrative time – Coordination is not

given extra planning time Scheduling – Students struggle to keep

time in their schedule for the DP MolBio course

Enrollment – can vary drastically year to year

Internships – Biotech businesses won’t give HS internships

RewardsStudent Testimonials“As a member of the academy, I received

unique insight on modern branches of science, such as genetics and the role of molecules in sustaining life. I also had the opportunity to visit various institutions and learn of current projects in the field of biotechnology,” Megh

In Molecular Biology, I had loved all the labs, but my favorite one was when we were testing the effect of the “ampicilin resistant gene” in bacteria. It was pretty interesting to observe, how easily we had inserted or modified the gene of the E. Coli bacteria just with the help of test tubes and pipets,” Sachi

Rewards