Grant allows students to put formulas to use

A rare opportunity for Yuma middle school students to put formulas they have memorized into practical use in laboratory experiments is now possible, thanks to the generosity of a nonprofit group.

Helios Foundation, launched five years ago by Vincent Roig with the aim of helping more students go to college to study science and math, has now helped expidite a partnership between the University of Arizona and Crane Middle School.

Beginning next year, Crane will receive $750,000 as part of a three-year project designed to show students they are capable of pursuing a career as a scientist, says Thom Melendez, UA director of development of the BIO5 Institute.

It is so named because it includes the disciplines of medicine, agriculture, pharmacy, engineering and life science. The BIO5 Institute came into being in part as the result of the passage of Proposition 301, which set aside mostly funds for primary and secondary teachers, and included a provision to include the three state universities.

"It was created with the intention of increasing biotech industry across Arizona. It has three main missions: research, transferring that research to markets, and inspiring the next generation of scientists through education."

Nadja Anderson, BIO5 director, said that in the last two years, more than 13,000 high school students throughout Arizona have benefited from cooperative science programs.

Martin Marquez, an eighth-grade Crane Middle School science teacher says as he understands, the plan will begin next spring when a director is hired to guide the Jr. Biotech program and provide all the lab equipment. That way, Crane students will be exposed to science experiments and equipment they would ordinarily never have the chance to work with at the middle-school level.

"Students often get bogged down in notes but with interactive experiments they can see the way real life applications use their book learning in science."

William Roller can be  reached at wroller@yumasun.com or 539-6858.