In a collaboration with the North Shore-Long Island Jewish health system (NS-LIJ), every year the I.S. 059 Springfield Gardens school in Jamaica, Queens, sends selected 8th鈥�11th grade students to DNALC West at Lake Success to learn the latest biotechnology and bioinformatics techniques over nine sessions. The Learning Center鈥檚 West location was established 11 years ago, the beginning of a now even broader effort to extend the reach of CSHL鈥檚 pioneering programs in hands-on genetics education.
Those 鈥渟eed students鈥� who are taught at DNALC West then get to teach part of what they learned to classmates back at I.S. 059. 聽Since 2008, 125 students have been through the program.
鈥淲e had tons of fun鈥攍earned, taught. Thanks for giving us gifts that will keep on giving,鈥� commented Marcia Young, an I.S. 059 science teacher who brought 16 students to DNALC West as part of the program.
Dr. Christine Marizzi, DNALC West Manager and plant biologist, said the students absolutely loved being able to use 鈥榬eal鈥� equipment and experience what it鈥檚 like to do actual research. 鈥淭hey had lots of fun, but also concentrated and took notes to make sure they understood everything and could explain it to their classmates.鈥�
The larger aim of the program is to give underrepresented and less-fortunate students an opportunity to experience the laboratory environment and gain exposure to a variety of career choices, says Donna Manchisi, Director of Marketing and Education, NS-LIJ.聽She intends to track students involved in the program on their decisions to work in specific STEM careers, such as healthcare and medical research.
Find out more about CSHL鈥檚 DNA Learning Center and the programs it offers for 5th-12th graders (and their teachers) across Long Island, NYC and online at