Student Support Services
Harlem Children Society Program in Bio/Medical Science, Engineering, Technology and Allied Fields
Harlem Children Society provides an extremely high end, one-on-one, hands-on Scientific Research in Bio/Medicine, Engineering, Technology & Allied fields with leading scientists, engineers and doctors in reputed institutions and universities in the country for under-resourced and under-served youth during the summer and after school intensive programs. Among other services are workshops, lectures and seminars with some of the best internationally acclaimed scientists, engineers and doctors including Nobel Laureates and leading figures. They qualify for College, University and School Credits including a handsome stipend/ scholarship. Among other services include SAT preparations, math and computer instructions, preparation for College/ University, opportunity to present research at various local, regional, national and international Research conferences and Symposia, site visits to leading laboratories, pharmaceutical companies and other research institutions. These services will help the development of leadership, social networking abilities and creative talent, including a good parental and community involvement. Similar services are available for teachers with the possibility of earning “G” credits, professional development and memberships for leading research organizations. These services will enhance educational options and vastly improve the school’s abilities and performances.
HCS Student Support Programs at a Glance
1. Scientific Research in Bio/medicine, Engineering, Technology & allied fields : Engaging students from groups that are under-represented in the sciences and get them involved in hands-on scientific research, is a central aspect of Harlem Children Society’s mission
The selected students are matched with a mentor – a leading expert in science, medicine, engineering or technology. Students work onsite at laboratories and clinics, where they undergo rigorous training in lab techniques and procedures, scientific experiments, practices and inquiry (e.g., safe and proper handling of devices, instruments, chemicals and biological products). Students acquire hands-on experience as they explore specific areas of science with state-of-the-art equipment. Under the watchful eyes of their mentor and HCS staff, students conduct their own individual research projects. They explore future academic and career paths. HCS’s staff designs the training sessions to meet the needs of the students in topics such as research and data collection, writing and the production of scientific papers, communications and presentation skills. At the end of each term students are required to draft a report and present their work to their colleagues. Mentoring is conducted during three consecutive semesters - summer, fall and spring. There is no substitute for HCS’ scientific research experience.
(Summer and After school)
2. College Credits:Students who successfully complete two years or more of research with HCS have the potential to earn up to 12 College/ University credits. These credits will be awarded by University of Albany. All fees for this service will be covered by HCS. Students will also be given an original official transcript of the said credits from the University of Albany, which may be transferred to any university thereafter.
(Summer and After school)
3. HCS Lectures, Seminars & Workshop Series in Science Technology, & Math:HCS students are routinely brought together across disciplines to present their research, hear from renowned guest lecturers, and increase their understanding of complex scientific problems. Students present their own research, and are privy to the presentations of leading scientists and experts in a variety of fields. This helps HCS students to network with their peers and leading members of the scientific community. This year’s summer seminar series included Nobel Prize winner Dr. Richard Axel for his work in Physiology. Presenters from UNESCO and UNICEF have helped to broaden students’ global perspectives, while live-streaming satellite meetings and webcasts connect HCS students from the Hopi and Navajo Indian reservations in Arizona, NASA Space Centers at the Universities of Wisconsin and Central Florida, Camden in NJ and other HCS sites to events in New York. These interactions have helped students across the time and cultural divide to interact and therefore turn their lives around.
HCS has evolved a mechanism to further enhance and hone the students’ English and note-taking skills during these intense series – thus thoroughly preparing them for college anywhere. Our programs compare with the best, even at the university level. (Summer and After school)
4. SAT Preparations: HCS provides high-quality preparation for the SAT and SAT11 (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math, History, and English) for 9 th – 12 th grades. Students will be provided with all workbooks and websites access to enhance this learning experience.
(After school)
5. Computer Instruction:HCS Students will receive a six-week course covering a wide range of computer competencies—everything from programming to achieving your final product. At the end of the workshop, students will acquire the following: basic concepts and terms in computer science: Boolean logic, algorithm, design and problem solving, read and create flowcharts and technical drawings/diagrams, teamwork and leadership, research skills, past and current topics/news in technology, documenting work and collaborating with technologies such as blogs and online forums, project management, communicating and presenting ideas effectively.
(After school)
6. Preparation for College/University : Workshops on financial management and affording collegeare offered to both students and parents. HCS helps students identify and apply to colleges and universities that support their strengths and interests. HCS staff will also help with editing personal essays, apply for and understand financial aid, and plan for the academic and socio-emotional transition from high school to college.
(Summer and after school)
7. Site visits to Leading Laboratories, Pharmaceutical companies and research Institutions:
HCS organizes site visits to leading laboratories, Pharmaceutical Companies and Research Institutions. This helps broaden the students’ horizons and exposes them to cutting edge technologies, thereby nurturing a spirit of enquiry and instilling a solid scientific mentality and expanding their horizons of development.
(Summer and after school)
8. College Visits and interviews with College Admissions/ Financial Officers:HCS plans to arrange for College and University visits and to set up interview sessions with admissions and financial officers of leading educational institutions. These sessions will help the students to identify their choices and enhance their selection process according to their individual needs and provide a tailor made, custom specified requirements for each student.
(Summer and after school)
9. International Street Fair and Festival:Our Annual International Harlem Science Street Fair and Festival is well known for bringing science to the local community and providing a forum that allows students to explain their work in a non-traditional setting. Family members, friends, college representatives and special guests are all invited. The festival is shared via satellite with HCS programs in several countries in the Americas – North & South and Central, Africa, Middle East and Asia. This year the festival will also feature a Science-meets-Fashion show and other cultural events including plays with scientific themes.
(After School)
10. Intel, Siemens Science and other competitions organized by HCS:The Intel and Siemens Science competitions are considered the two most prestigious science competitions in the US. Students will be assisted with essay writing and the application process in order to successfully submit their original research for competition. In addition, students will be provided with guidance to enter and participate in other competitions and symposia like - Young Epidemiologist Scholarship and the Junior Science High School (JSHS) science fair.
(After school)
11. Parental and Community Involvement: Recognizing the importance of parental involvement in a student’s academic life, we’ve developed opportunities for families to participate throughout the student’s tenure at HCS. Parents are engaged at the outset and are a substantial part of the outreach and recruitment process. Families are invited to attend student presentations and special guest lectures. Parents also have an active role in planning the annual Harlem Science Street Fair. In keeping with our goal to ultimately increase the number of minority students pursuing scientific careers, we provide workshops and informational sessions about the college application process, financial aid and planning, and career opportunities. We also manage a growing alumni network that encourages HCS graduates who are currently enrolled in college to support new graduates as they begin their college career. Additionally, there is a consortium of student advisors, both current students and alumni, who provide guidance in determining programs and activities.
(Summer and after school)
13. Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society Annual Research Conference:Selected students are invited to all-expense paid trip Sigma Xi Annual Research Conference. Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society is scientific honor society, which serves 6,000 members worldwide, 200 of who are Nobel Prize Laureates. Additionally, 250 scientists and researchers from leading research centers such as Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Boston Scientific, Columbia University, and NASA have opened their laboratories to HCS students and have volunteered to serve as mentors. Dr. Sat Bhattacharya serves as the President of the Rockefeller University Chapter of Sigma Xi, and uses this and other sources of contacts to enhance HCS’s activities.Selected students after graduation from high school from our program are invited by Dr. Sat to join the prestigious society to further nurture their interest in science and technology. The work of Harlem Children Society would not be possible without the numerous strategic relationships (in over 30 leading national and international scientific organizations) developed by Dr. Bhattacharya over the past six and one half years.
(After school)
14. Other relevant Volunteer opportunities:Through HCS volunteer club students will be given the opportunity to participate in a number of relevant volunteer activities. This will serve not only to hone in our students social responsibilities but also enhance their college and university resumes. The activities would also be made available to the parents and guardians. For the school, we feel, it will provide the students and their families to evolve a better community spirit and an unparalleled opportunity to develop themselves as a part of a creative and productive citizenry.
(Summer and after school)
15. Development of Leadership, Social Networking Abilities and Creative Talent: The Harlem Children Society has initiated several “for fun” and entertainment related activities connected with developing and honing Confidence building, Self-discipline, leadership and networking skills and abilities. In the summer, among the many events, we organize our HCS Science Boat Cruises around NYC where students, their families, many of our mentors get together and socialize and get to know each other which is extremely important in any field. The Science Cruise is a unique celebration of having fun and combining science and arts by HCS students addressing some important issues of our times – providing information in an extremely creative way. These “Science and Society” thematic socio-cultural events and presentations spark and sprout untapped talent in the HCS students. Throughout the entire year students are organized into groups led by our senior students as group leaders. HCS is one of the few organizations of its kind that involves as many students, from as many schools involved by a huge and diverse pool of esteemed researchers and professionals from as many institutions {In 2007 alone there are more than 230 students from 65 schools mentored by over 375 scientists, engineers and doctors in over 75 institutions). These activities help develop leadership qualities in our students.
(Summer and After school)
Evaluation
HCS’s effectiveness is measured by the number of students who successfully complete our program and pursue careers in science or technology. We will continue to track our student’s path long after they leave HCS. The long-term outcomes we plan to track are the number of students who pursue science or technology as a course of study, the number of students who receive their college degrees, and the number of students who work in the science or technology field after undergraduate or matriculate into a science or technology graduate program. The short-term outcomes of our work will be measured by monitoring student performance, soliciting feedback from teachers and reviewing academic records. These outcomes include improved verbal communication skills – the ability to present complex ideas in simple terms, improved writing skills, improved academic performance, and increased parental involvement. We will administer evaluation forms to both students and mentors to solicit feedback regarding their experience and perception of the program. These collective feedbacks are implemented to make program improvements or changes and continually monitor our effectiveness.
These involvements, we feel, will help better the performance and abilities of students in your school - improving their science and math and develop scientific mind and intellect. This guidance will serve a long way to further their higher education needs and aspirations. Our involvements also foster the indirect development of other students and involve parents and guardians to facilitate a better understanding of sciences and education.
HCS has developed and demonstrated a sound and successful model for engaging high school students from underserved communities in scientific research and study that increases their interest in science, improves their study skills and self-confidence, and prepares them for entry into competitive institutions of higher education.
We can proudly say that this program has evolved, in a short period of time, into one of the biggest and one of the best programs of its kind – not only in the country. , But anywhere!
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The following will be available to Harlem Children Society Students. This is INADDITION to research mentorship program:
7 th – 8 th Grades :
* HCS may entertain qualified students in these grades. Priority will be given to schools we’ve have worked on in the past years’.
9 th Grade :
- SAT2 (Areas includes: Biology, Math and History)
-Review the
- Participation in the Harlem Children Society Annual Street Fair and Festival
- Volunteer opportunities.
10 th Grade :
- SAT11 (Areas includes: Biology, Math, History, English and Chemistry)
- Participation in the Harlem Children Society Annual International Street Fair and Festival.
- Outstanding students will be invited to attend the Sigma Xi Annual Conference*
- Volunteer opportunities
11 th Grade :
- SAT (Math, Verbal, Essay)
- SAT 11 (Areas includes: (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math, History, English)
- Introduction in College application process (Students and Parents)
- Lecture series: Paying for college (Students and Parents)
- Guidance to enter the Young Epidemiologist Scholarship (YES) competition.
- Guidance to enter the Noble Laureate Competition
- Attend the Sigma Xi Annual Conference*
- Participation in the Harlem Children Society Annual International Street Fair
- Volunteer opportunities.
12 th Grade :
- Review of college application including personal essays.
- Guidance to enter all major competitions including the Intel-Science Siemens Competitions.
- SAT preparation
- Scholarship information and help with this process. (Students and Parents)
- Participation in the Harlem Children Annual International Street Fair.
- Letters of recommendation.
- Participation in the Harlem Children Society Street Annual International Fair.
- Volunteer opportunities.
