November 21, 2008
The Office of Civic Education Initiatives has announced that native Clevelanders Jane and Jon Outcalt have committed a major gift to establish an Outcalt Scholars Program.
The new Cleveland Clinic academy program will foster creative classroom lessons by placing teachers in the laboratories of Cleveland Clinic doctors and researchers. At the core of this initiative will be the Outcalt Scholars – outstanding school teachers engaged in an intensive scientific research experience with a select group of young students and Cleveland Clinic mentors.
“This new program will allow teachers and students to work together in the research process, apply their knowledge in the field and bring it back to the classroom through an innovative curriculum,” says Rosalind Strickland, Senior Director of the Clinic’s Office of Civic Education Initiatives.
Teachers will be required to apply knowledge gained in the lab to develop K-12 classroom curriculum focused on science, technology and mathematics.
“We are pleased with Cleveland Clinic’s many contributions to our community,” said Jon Outcalt. “This gift will help expose more young people to exciting developments in healthcare research and to career opportunities they may wish to consider.”
The goal of the program is to fuel an interest in healthcare and science among a diverse set of students throughout the region, while also introducing scientific concepts to other classroom disciplines such as the arts, social studies, literature and writing.
