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WIRED Initiative

A Replicable Model for Higher Education to Engage and Prepare High School Faculty and Staff in Emerging Technologies

CCAOrganization: Community College of Aurora

Grant Round: Jumpstart

Program’s Objectives: This project will meet its goals by training high school teachers in bioscience instruction, using traveling science equipment kits and providing bioscience career information to teachers, students and counselors. The project is designed so that a limited number of state-of-the-art science kits are easily and equitably shared by schools in several school districts.

Individuals Served: Through our work with WIRED, Community College of Aurora (CCA) has trained 59 Denver Metro high school teachers on the history of the study of DNA and the tools and knowledge needed to conduct four DNA-related experiments with their students. Over 6,000 experiments were conducted during the 12 month period of the project.

Success Story: One of our high school teachers is now planning to develop a Biotech program at her high school. Castleview High School and Rock Creek High School are both working on agreements with CCA to offer their biotech program as a concurrent credit program – allowing students to earn college credit while still in high school.

Quote: “Overall, the response from students conducting the experiments was extremely positive. Students told us they appreciated being able to use the equipment and the opportunity to try “professional-level” experimentation. CCA’s connection to area bioscience teachers, university programs, and industry organizations and companies has greatly expanded during the 12 month period of the grant.”
-- Martha Jackson-Carter, Chair of the Science Department, CCA

Collaborators: Colorado Bioscience Association, Labs at Bonfils, Allosource, Reglera, Kelly Scientific, Sciona, Inc., Lahocla, Inc., Insmed, Gambro, Encision, LANX, Microphage, Mountainside Medical, Pharmajet, Rocky Mountain Labs, Tissue Genetics, IHCtech, Clinimmune, University of Colorado at Denver, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.