Rural middle schools to benefit from UNM science grant
Posted at: 09/10/2012 2:41 PM
By: The Associated Press and KOB.com Staff
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - University of New Mexico professors and researchers have been awarded funding from the National Institutes of Health to implement a science enrichment program for several middle schools in rural New Mexico.
The funding will be doled out over five years and will target both tribal and predominantly Hispanic schools.
Spokesman Luke Frank from the UNM Health Sciences Center told KOB the schools will be Zuni Middle School, Laguna Middle School, Sky City Community School, Mora Middle School, and Penasco Middle School.
"These schools had supported our application and we are in the process of re-confirming their interest and commitment to participate in the project," Frank said.
The university says there's a steady decline in the number of American Indian and Hispanic students graduating with science and engineering degrees.
Professor Shiraz Mishra says lower representation in the sciences coupled with a higher burden of chronic diseases among these two populations poses a "serious national challenge."
The program will include nutrition and physical activity components along with health and science fairs, web-based activities aimed at boosting critical thinking, mentoring and professional development for teachers.
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
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