“Every cure has a starting point. Dare to make dreams into reality.” – Salk
Gates County High School students Kaylin Wilson and Derek Eason were recently selected to participate in the “Salk Introduction to Research Science” program this summer. They are two of only three students from North Carolina chosen for this extraordinary month-long enrichment opportunity.
“We would like to thank the Burroughs Wellcome Fund and the Salk Institute of Biological Studies for supporting the students of Gates County Schools,” stated Brian Rountree, Director of Gates County Community Partnership. “This is an incredible program that will nourish the minds of our scholars and maybe lead them towards careers in medicine! Education is the antidote for disease.”
The Salk Introduction to Research Science Program is a STEM educational experience geared towards providing students a first look at science outside of a traditional classroom setting through hands-on and virtual experiences. Salk Education Outreach has translated the time-tested curriculum to a hybrid modality in order to expand its reach to high-potential students outside of San Diego County, California.
Program elements include scientific inquiry and communication skills, interactions with diverse mentor scientists, as well as hands-on and virtual lab simulations. The program will use Salk Education Outreach expertise in science communication to equip students with necessary skill sets that will make them better qualified candidates for future STEM internship opportunities. The overall goal of the program is to enable and encourage students that may have limited opportunities in science with the opportunity to explore their interests and prepare for future STEM internships.
“The Burroughs Wellcome Fund breathes its mission to improve human health through education and we are grateful for the opportunity they presented at Salk,” emphasized Dr. Crystal Harden, Director of Program and Inclusion Initiatives at Morehead Planetarium and Science Center. “Kailyn and Derek will excel and forge a path for other county students to follow.”