CCHS Becomes Princeton University Satellite Learning Center For Molecular Biology Instruction

Posted october 17, 2011

Colonie Central High School has become a satellite learning center for area educators to offer 21st century hands-on experiments in molecular biology to their students.

The teacher training is being provided by CCHS science teacher Jason Goldberg, who was one of only 19 teachers worldwide selected to attend a special institute at Princeton University in the summer of 2010.

The goal of that summer institute, offered through a partnership between the Molecular Biology Department at Princeton University and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, was to help public high school teachers bring cutting-edge molecular biology into their classrooms and better prepare students for college.

As a result of that summer institute, Goldberg is now sharing that knowledge regionally at two weekend workshops he’s offering at CCHS this October.

“I am excited that our school (one of only three outside New Jersey) was chosen to be a Princeton University satellite center,” Goldberg said. “I am hoping that as teachers from all over the Capital District participate in these workshops we can establish a network that will keep bringing cutting edge science to our classrooms.”

As part of his connections with Princeton, CCHS has also be chosen as molecular biology “loaner center,” enabling area educators to borrow equipment and free classroom kits (paid for by the university) to perform experiments with their students back at their home schools.

At the weekend workshops, area teachers are delving into experiments and learning new teaching techniques in basic biotechnology lab skills, DNA fingerprinting and gel electrophoresis, forensic DNA labs and genetic engineering. Teachers also earn 10 professional development hours from Princeton University for participating.