SCHOLAR Program - Curriculum
Scientific Instruction
"The New Haven Public Schools and Yale University are both institutions dedicated to education and the development of human potential. As neighbors, we have much to offer each other and much we can do together to promote the vitality of the city of New Haven which is our home."
Richard C. Levin
President
Yale University
Senior science class- Biotechnology and Microbial Ecology
The guiding question in this course was "Have you ever wondered what the bacteria around your community, in your homes, or perhaps even in your bathroom looks like?" Students isolated bacteriophage from various natural resources in New Haven in order to investigate which phage can grow under certain temperature conditions. By taking a field trip to Common Ground High School to collect samples, growing the bacteria into large plaques in incubators, and finally using microscopes to see individual cell growth, students learned complex processes like PCR, DNA sequencing, and data analysis.
Nancy Kerk, Ph.D., Instructor
C. Brandon Ogbunu, Ph.D., Instructor
Dr. Nancy Kerk is currently an Associate Research Scientist in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology where she holds posts as Administrative Director, Yale Partnership in the Biological and Chemical Sciences, and Yale Center for Genomics and Proteomics. She graduated from Mount Holyoke College with majors in Biology and English, and obtained M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Yale University in Plant Molecular Biology. Her research has focused on the developmental biology of plant root and she pioneered the technology of laser capture micro-dissection in plants
Dr. C. Brandon Ogbunu completed his M. Phil. (2007) and Ph.D. at Yale University (2010) in Microbiology. He recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship, also at Yale University. His current research interests involve the urban ecology of infectious diseases, epidemiology and the development of novel statistical indicators to measure health inequities. He also serves as a health and science policy consultant for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
John Wertz, Ph.D., Research Scientist, Laboratory Assistant
Tyra McCray, Ph.D. Candidate, Laboratory Assistant
Junior science class- Chemistry
The S.C.H.O.L.A.R. Chemistry course was quite challenging, with a series of lectures and labs and up to 3 hours of homework per night. By the end of the course, the students had learned a number of core chemistry concepts and had fully mastered molarity and balancing equations. Dr. Allen had each set of lab partners be part of a larger team. The teams (3 in total) earned points for each lab and competed against one another. Because of this challenge, and the heavy workload, the students really bonded with their lab partners and teammates. On the last day of instruction, Dr. Allen and her teaching team had a “student appreciation day” where the students were given individual and team awards.
Connie Allen, Ph.D., Instructor
Dr. Connie Allen is the academic director of Academic Success Program, and is the former Dean of Undergraduate Classes at Mount Holyoke College. Before her move to Mount Holyoke, she taught chemistry at Yale University for four years. Dr. Allen received her Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in Physical Chemistry, becoming the first African-American woman to do so. She has an extensive background in teaching college chemistry and participating in programs for middle and high school students.
Funmilayo Ukah, M.S., Hill Regional Career High School science teacher, Teaching Assistant
Destiny Tolliver, Laboratory Assistant
Sophomore Science Classes- Neurobiology & Experimental Psychology
Neurobiology
In neurobiology, the SCHOLAR rising sophomores performed extensive experiments on earthworms, fruit flies, and themselves using oscilloscopes, microscopes, and impulse generators. Students measured thresholds and refractory periods in action potentials in earthworms, and receptor potentials in Drosophila melanogaster (fruit flies). Students were separated into pairs and collaborated with each other both in and outside of class to ensure the success of their experiments.
Jack Kronengold, Ph.D., Instructor
Shelby Montague, Ph.D. Candidate, Laboratory Assistant
Experimental Psychology
In psychology, the rising sophomores collaborated in teams of four students to create and test a hypothesis. The teams were each paired with a graduate student in psychology who assisted the group in writing up the experiment. The students then paired up with a residential advisor or coordinator to test the experiment. Students learned basic concepts in psychology and presented their findings during the last week of the program. One group tested the effect compliments on mood while another group tested the effect of chocolate on cognitive skills and memory. Topics discussed in class included comparative psychology experiments, double-blind studies vs. single-blind studies, confound variables, and stereotype threat.
Kristina Olson, Ph.D., Instructor
Sylvia Perry, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Associate, Teaching Assistant
Interdisciplinary Courses
Senior Writing Course: College Essay
In this class, seniors undertook the daunting task of writing a college essay that could potentially put them over the top to gain entrance into the school(s) of their choice. The course aimed to show students why great college essays are great, how to tell a story in a compelling manner, and how to find gripping, individual stories that would make them phenomenal college applicants. Guiding questions in the course included: "How does on describe oneself in such a short passage? How do you balance expectations of the audience against your need for self-expression? How do you incorporate voice, hooks, details, fluency, and pizzazz to make your story the best?"
Tim Grady, M.S., Instructor
Senior College Prep
In this course, a staple of the SCHOLAR program, seniors became familiar with the common application, learned to research available scholarships, and reviewed many other aspects of the application process.
Kristen Grandfield, M.A., Instructor
Junior Humanities Course: Archival Project
With an eye towards helping students develop the sort of self-knowledge vital for crafting a quality college essay during their senior summer in SCHOLAR, an underlying principle of this course was that family and community history are essential parts of who we are, how we behave, and how we choose to move forward. This course aimed to teach high school students how to archive their own history and become familiar with archival concepts. To familiarize them with some of the community history, they took trips to the New Haven Museum and Yale Beinecke Library to learn about the founders of our great city. The students also took trips to Grove Street Cemetery, Yale Manuscripts and Archives, and spent time conducting online research to trace their own roots and individual stories. With all of these resources at their disposal, the students were able to better understand the history that has shaped who they are.
Harry Murphy, M. Ed., Instructor
Sophomore Humanities Course: Playwriting
This course aimed to introduce students to a world of creative writing. By experimenting with shorter pieces and having work presented before peers, students were encouraged to experiment with strange topics and gain confidence to try new things. Students played word games at the beginning of class to get their creative juices flowing, learned new techniques for combatting writer's block, and inevitably worked their way up to writing a full ten page play with they cast their peers in. This course was intended to teach students how to enjoy writing, bring their words to life in exciting ways, and produce work that is substantive and enjoyable for both the audience and playwrights themselves.
Suzanne Holsenbeck, M. Ed., Instructor
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