Two Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Teachers Named Regional Winners in National Epidemiology Competition
April 27, 2004, BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Two Bethlehem teachers have been named a regional winner in the Young Epidemiology Scholars (YES) Teacher Competition for developing a high school curriculum in which students learn the basic concepts of epidemiology and microbiology by using the world around them to study pathogens and diseases. Tara Richards and Theodore Schaffer, both of whom teach at Liberty High School, will receive a $5,000 award for their entry, entitled "Epidemiology: A Glimpse Into Past, Present and Future." Richards teaches biology, anatomy and physiology, while Schaffer teaches biology and environmental science.
The curriculum teaches students about various bacterial, viral, fungal, and protozoal pathogens and introduces students to the basic symptoms and clinical descriptions of diseases or outbreaks, such as the flu.
A major goal of the curriculum is to bring out in students a desire to examine and analyze the scientific world around them. For example, in one lesson, students gather data from the headstones of a local cemetery. Students use this data to consider the implications of epidemics on our past and present and make predictions about the health of future populations.
The YES Teacher Competition is sponsored by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and administered by the College Board. In the competition, high school teachers submit curricula that present innovative ways to introduce high school students to the basic skills of epidemiology - the branch of medicine that deals with the study of the causes, distribution, and control of disease among populations - and to the critical reasoning it requires.
"In a world facing threats that include the spread of SARS, obesity, HIV/AIDS, and heart disease, we are looking for the next generation of epidemiologists to tackle these and other pressing public health problems," said J. Michael McGinnis, M.D., of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
While the competition focuses on epidemiology, YES seeks to develop skills that go beyond just that area of study. "The problem-solving involved in epidemiological research helps to develop critical skills - framing the right question, collecting relevant data, and analyzing findings - that can be applied in a number of disciplines," said Gaston Caperton, President of the College Board. "We are proud to be part of this important initiative."
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is the nation's largest philanthropic organization devoted exclusively to improving health and health care for all Americans. The Foundation invests in initiatives that create meaningful and timely change and help people lead healthier lives.
The College Board is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the association is composed of more than 4,500 schools, colleges, universities, and other educational organizations. Each year, the College Board serves over three million students and their parents, 23,000 high schools, and 3,500 colleges through major programs and services in college admissions, guidance, assessment, financial aid, enrollment, and teaching and learning.. For more information on the College Board, visit www.collegeboard.org.
For more information please contact Damon Thompson at 202.457-8100 x319 or dthompson@lipmanhearne.com.