[Histonet] thank you HistoNet! Histology STEM long off-topic

[koellingr at comcast.net]

Histonet- 
  
I cringe at the thought of being dinged for taking time with something somewhat tangential to histology but here I go.  If histology as part of STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) and kids' futures is a bit overboard for you, please use your delete button now. 
  
First Adelle Schade should be congratulated profusely for her work with her students and starting their high school histology/biomedical research lab.  I myself helped and donated to a local (Seattle) high school biotech/biomed lab where we (they) did some fairly sophisticated IHC and molecular techniques. I am also very familiar with the Intel International Science and Engineering Competition in Phoenix.  We in Washington state have recently sent 20 kids there and they have returned.  Involved with STEM educational outreach for our state K-12 for 15 years, I am currently re-elected to our Board of the state fair, WSSEF (Washington State Science and Engineering Fair).  Intel affiliated, we sent those 20 or so kids to Phoenix, along with Adelle's kids, to compete against close to 2,000 high schoolers from every state and 70 countries around the world. 
  
Our son is safely working on his Masters degree in Aeronautical Engineering so he will be in good shape.  But I am very worried for many, many kids in the US for an almost systemic rejection of science in lieu of nearly 100% sports, art and music.  I love sports having played baseball in high school and college.  I love artistic endeavors be it at a symphony, art museum or stage play.  I love music even though it might be quite different from the music many enjoy today.  But I also love to eat well and live well and enjoyed saving up for a comfortable retirement.  Can you do those things in non-STEM pursuits? Of course you can!  Yet the fact is that very, very, very few K-12 students will ever make a great future life as a professional athlete, artist or musician.  Yet in the world of the future, the majority of great jobs are in STEM.  That is not an opinion.  That is simply reality. 
  
So I encourage anyone to get involved with teachers in high school such as Adelle Schade. Histology is obviously the topic of discussion here but it can be with anything STEM.  Depending on which study you look at, we (the US) are 15th-25th amongst nations in the world in K-12 science and math education.  Far too many of the kids in the US are being left behind for the jobs of the future. 
  
Having "retired" to Spokane Washington, I now find myself as a part-time lecturer at the University of Washington Medical School-Spokane campus, lecturing in microanatomy to first year medical students in their pre-clinical required curriculum.  Yet I still will be helping K-12 students around here in their local science fairs and also with the Washington State Science and Engineering Fair in preparation for the May 2017 INTEL international fair to be held in Los Angeles, CA.  A few more histology/molecular/IHC/biotech/biomed  projects would be AWESOME. 
  
Thanks to people like Adelle and I encourage everyone with helping K-12 kids and their teachers with educational outreach for science fairs in histology or anything STEM . 
  
Ray Koelling 
UW Med School-Spokane campusl lecturer, microanatomy 
----- Original Message -----

From: "Adelle via Histonet Schade" <histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu> 
To: "histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu" <histonet at lists.utsouthwestern.edu> 
Sent: Friday, May 27, 2016 4:29:53 AM 
Subject: [Histonet] thank you HistoNet! 

Hello Histonet, 
I am a high school science teacher and part-time PhD student in Cell and Molecular Biology. I started a histology/ biomedical research laboratory in my high school two years ago and it has been quite an experience.  This year, two of my students who incorporated histological testing into their science fair project protocols won awards at the INTEL International Science and Engineering Competition in Phoenix, AZ.  They are considered in the top 20% of high school research projects in the world!  Many other Conrad Weiser High School students won awards at our regional fair incorporating histology into their laboratory techniques as well. 

This listserv was vital to their success.  I emailed the listserv last year asking for donations to support our summer program and the response was overwhelming.  Thank you for supporting histology in high school.  The students are learning and loving it!  I receive advice from this listserv as well in reference to our processes.  Your advice and words of wisdom are a key component to our success as a program! 

We are operating our summer program again this year.  If anyone knows of a laboratory that is upgrading equipment, closing, etc. and has used equipment that is still functioning, we would appreciate if you would forward our school information.  We can use any lab equipment, reagents, solutions and consumables used in histology, cell culturing or biotechnological processes. 

Again, HistoNet, thank you for your continued support of our Conrad Weiser High School family! 
Have a nice day, 
Adelle 

Ms. Adelle L. Schade, B.S., M.Ed., M.S. 
Biomedical Science 
Conrad Weiser High School 
44 Big Spring Rd. 
Robesonia, PA  19551 
610-693-8599 x6783 
a_schade at conradweiser.org<mailto:a_schade at conradweiser.org> 

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