INDUSTRY INSIGHT
EDUCATION
SPONSORED CONTENT
Sewickley Academy Students
Partner with Duke University to Improve Global Health
By Lower School Teacher Jerilyn Scott, Ph.D., and Senior School Science Teacher Ron Kinser, Ph.D.
W
hen an opportunity arose to collaborate with a Duke
University bioengineering professor to bring a Global
Health course to Sewickley Academy students, Dr.
Ron Kinser jumped at the partnership.
The notion originated with Global Studies Program Coordinator Judy
Stewart who was attending a professional conference when she
heard a presentation by Dr. Robert Malkin, a professor of biomedical
engineering at Duke University and the founder of Global Public
Service Academies for Health (GPSA). GPSA allows well-trained high
school students to visit underserved Mayan communities in Central
America to provide basic health services and education to the local
population.
Mrs. Stewart knew that it would be a perfect fit for Sewickley
Academy students, many of whom have a high degree of interest in
global issues, medical and biomedical fields, and community service.
“It dovetails perfectly with SA’s Global Studies vision to build positive
partnerships while equipping creative leaders and constructive
citizens,” she said. After extensive discussions with Dr. Malkin to
explore whether Sewickley
Academy could meet the
“The way that Dr. Kinser taught
requirements of the program,
the course allowed me to learn
and if Duke University’s course
much more than I have in any
could be adapted to meet
other course I have taken,” Hailey the Academy’s curriculum,
Fox ’17 said. “It inspired me to
the first “Global Issues: World
major in biomedical engineering.” Health” course launched in the
fall of 2016.
The class is based on an undergraduate course offered at Duke. “It’s
the same content, the same reading materials, the same pace,” Dr.
Kinser said. “But we ‘Sewickleyfied’ it a bit, adding more discussion
and student-friendly technology–like video productions–to really
make it our own and engaging for the kids.” There is room in the
course for 18 students, most of whom travel to Belize during spring
break to put their learning into action. Over twice that many students
registered for the course in its first offering.
The students also
produce videos
highlighting topics
of special interest to
them.
“The way that Dr.
Kinser taught the
course allowed me to
learn much more than
I have in any other
course I have taken,” Hailey Fox ’17 said. “It inspired me to major in
biomedical engineering.”
In March 2017, 14 of Sewickley Academy’s “Global Issues: World
Health” students traveled to Belize in cooperation with GPSA to
experience authentic service learning. Students applied knowledge
obtained in the classroom to provide basic health assessments in
high-need Belizean communities. “It is difficult to put into words how
proud I felt to see our students living Sewickley Academy’s mission
over the course of the 10-day trip
as they put their hearts, minds,
and hands to use every day in
the service of a greater good,” Dr.
Kinser reflected.
This year, interest in the class
remains strong. Eleven students
and two chaperones will travel to
Belize to serve the Mayan people
and continue to learn, from an
early age, to impact the world
around them in a positive way.
inspiring and educating hearts, minds, and hands
PRE-K—GRADE 5
GRADES 6—8
GRADES 9—12
During the trimester, students study topics such as global healthcare
systems, interpreting health data, clinical trials and FDA approval,
vaccines, and diseases. The discussions, led by two students each
week based on the
assigned reading,
focus on issues
faced by developing
countries, using more
familiar countries
and systems as a
framework.
Visit sewickley.org today.
CADEMY
S EWICKLEY A
FOR WHO YOU ARE. FOR WHO YOU WILL BECOME.
NORTH ALLEGHENY
❘
SPRING 2018
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