-
- Posted Thursday May 7, 2015
Scottsdale Unified School District Foundation teams with TGen to create Excellence in Bioscience Teacher Initiative
Unique pilot program will benefit teachers, students within the Scottsdale Unified School District
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - May 7, 2015 - The
Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) Foundation is teaming
with the Phoenix-based Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen)
to create an Excellence in Bioscience Teacher Initiative.
Scheduled to take place in July 2015 at TGen, the new pilot
program will benefit teachers and students within the Scottsdale
Unified School District.
The Excellence in Bioscience Teacher Initiative will provide
teachers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) with a
strong fluency in cutting-edge biomedical research. An intensive,
three-day agenda will immerse them in a series of presentations,
interactive discussions and practical experiences led by TGen
bio-medical experts.
"Following our induction of TGen president - and Arcadia High
School graduate - Dr. Jeffrey Trent into the SUSD Foundation's Hall
of Excellence in 2013, we have been working to expand our
relationship with TGen to benefit the District," said Price Nosky,
chair of the SUSD Foundation. "With SUSD Superintendent Dr.
David Peterson's encouragement, and through the work of SUSD staff
members, we are pleased to announce the formation of this new
partnership and initiative."
The SUSD Foundation will fund the $26,500 initiative as part of
the annual contributions it makes to support SUSD, reflective of
its goal, and that of its sponsors, to support educational
opportunities that directly impact students and teachers in the
classroom.
TGen is a leading biomedical research institute dedicated to
translating laboratory breakthroughs into new clinical diagnostics
and therapeutic treatments for patients with cancer, neurological
conditions and other serious maladies.
"We are pleased to work with the SUSD Foundation to create this
educational opportunity for the SUSD," said Dr. Trent. "TGen
recognizes that to fully achieve its mission we must invest in
local schools to help build the pipeline of translationally-minded
future scientists and physicians that will elevate Arizona in terms
of health care and economic competitiveness."
"We believe that increasing the content-knowledge, depth of
understanding and insight of just one educator can benefit an
exponential number of students over time," said Brandy Wells, TGen
Director of Education and Public Affairs. "We hope this
initiative can be used as a model for industry-education
partnerships in the future."
According to Dr. Peterson, a select number of teachers from
Saguaro High School's Math & Science Academy will be chosen to
participate in the initiative.
"We will identify select teachers to participate in this
initiative who will also work to share the information gained with
fellow educators and students in the District," said Dr.
Peterson. "This initiative of the SUSD Foundation will
further showcase SUSD as a respected educational leader in
developing collaborative, innovative programs that provide
development opportunities for our teachers, and in turn, enables
them to develop rigorous academic experiences for our
students."
Wells said that retaining and developing effective teachers is an
ongoing need also recognized by TGen and one solution supported by
the Institute is a visible and celebrated elevation of, and
investment in, individual teachers.
"TGen's interest in education and outreach is to help train and
inspire Arizona's next generation of researchers and physicians,"
said Wells, a former junior high school teacher. "Positively
impacting teachers has been an ongoing interest area for me
personally. This program represents an opportunity I would
have benefited from and sincerely enjoyed as a teacher."
The pilot program was praised by Scottsdale Mayor W.J. "Jim" Lane,
who has overseen an expansion of bioscience efforts through the
city's Cure Corridor, a stretch of Shea Boulevard that includes
hospitals, clinics and other innovative businesses dedicated to
bioscience and medicine.
"This new partnership is exciting and potentially powerful," said
Mayor Lane."Combining cutting-edge research, innovation and
technology with education can benefit everyone, particularly the
students within the Scottsdale Unified School District. As a
Mayor active within Arizona's Bioscience industry, I see this as
the perfect collaboration."
# # #
About the Scottsdale Unified School
District
The Scottsdale Unified School District where we Engage, Educate
and Empower Every Student, Every Day. The District and 19 schools
have earned the state's highest A-F Achievement Profile grade - A -
by the Arizona Department of Education. For more information about
Scottsdale Unified schools, please visit www.susd.org.
About the Scottsdale Unified School District
Foundation
The Scottsdale Unified School District Foundation is a non-profit
organization based in Scottsdale, Ariz. Its mission is to
help all students within the SUSD achieve educational
excellence. Its board of directors does this by creating
community awareness of the significant financial challenges that
exist within SUSD and then planning and implementing year-round
fundraising efforts that include individual solicitations,
community outreach and two signature events. For more
information about the Scottsdale Unified School District Foundation
visit www.susdfoundation.org or email
[email protected].
Press Contact:
Shonna James
Shonna James Communications, LLC
(602) 424-7822
[email protected]
About TGen
Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix,
Arizona-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting
groundbreaking research with life changing results. TGen is focused
on helping patients with cancer, neurological disorders and
diabetes, through cutting edge translational research (the process
of rapidly moving research towards patient benefit). TGen
physicians and scientists work to unravel the genetic components of
both common and rare complex diseases in adults and children.
Working with collaborators in the scientific and medical
communities literally worldwide, TGen makes a substantial
contribution to help our patients through efficiency and
effectiveness of the translational process. For more information,
visit:www.tgen.org.
Press Contact:
Steve Yozwiak
TGen Senior Science Writer
602-343-8704
[email protected]
