Woburn Memorial High Chosen as BioTeach School

The Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation (MassBioEd Foundation) has selected Woburn Memorial High School as one of 12 BioTeach schools selected for the 2014-15 school year.

Funding for this year’s BioTeach cohort comes from a $250,000 grant awarded through the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) STEM Equipment and Supplies Grant Program. MassBioEd will use the $250,000 of funding to provide 10 schools with professional development for teachers, curriculum for biotech labs, access to student career exploration experiences, and up to $24,873 each for materials and equipment for school labs. MassBioEd will also fund two additional schools for the program and $5,000 toward lab equipment.

“The life sciences sector is critical to the Commonwealth’s economy and MassBioEd is excited to expand our BioTeach program into 12 schools chosen through a competitive process,” said Lance Hartford, Executive Director of the MassBioEd Foundation. “By providing Massachusetts students with lab experiences in high schools across the state, we hope to inspire students to pursue educational opportunities and careers in the life sciences and biotechnology industry.”

“We greatly appreciate this opportunity to enrich the education of our diverse student body with this biotechnology grant,” said Ralph Deldon, Assistant Principal at Woburn Memorial High School. “This grant will greatly aid in helping us reach our goals of encouraging students to engage in inquiry-based learning using modern scientific laboratory techniques and materials as well as providing students with a means to explore career options in biotechnology.”

The 10 schools funded by the MLSC’s grant are:

•    Attleboro High School

•    Bartlett Junior/Senior High School

•    Boston Day and Evening Academy

•    Springfield Central High School

•    Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School

•    Global Learning Charter Public School

•    Health and Humans Services High School at Lawrence High

•    North High School/STEM-Early College High School (Worcester)

•    Wakefield Memorial High School

•    William Dean Technical High School

The MassBioEd supported schools for this year are:

•   Uxbridge High School

•   Woburn Memorial High School

The biotechnology industry, which employs more than 53,462 residents in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is one of the fastest growing sectors of the state’s economy. To help sustain the growth of the industry, MassBioEd is working with MassBio, the Commonwealth, and the state’s leading biotechnology, life sciences, and pharmaceutical companies to inspire and develop future scientists.