I didnʼt start biomedical research to learn more about stem cells or skin regeneration back in ninth grade, reports The Globe and Mail. None of my peers, friends, or even teachers at the time knew exactly where I would be now. Looking back, it turned out to be the best journey I could have imagined for my high-school career. Iʼm a high school researcher who works toward translating and making stem cell transplants as a therapeutic option for emergency wards worldwide. I started my work in ninth grade by joining a team of scientists at the University of Calgary where Iʼve been working for nearly three years…
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Smaller urban high schools found to boost achievement
With support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, New York City under Mayor Michael Bloomberg has systematically shut down large, failing high schools and replaced them with small schools—many pegged to themes like technology or the business of sports. Now, a new study funded by the Gates Foundation suggests that the small schools have succeeded in boosting graduation rates for the city’s most academically challenged students.
Proponents of the smaller-schools approach to education reform say the schools can provide one-on-one support to struggling students, and the specialized programs are supposed to improve students’ motivation by enticing them to apply to schools that match their interests.
“This shows the strategy is working,” said New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, who since 2002 has shuttered more than 20 large high schools with as many as 4,000 students each and replaced them with 216 small schools with names like the Academy of Health Careers or the Law, Government, and Community Service Magnet High School.…Read More