Induction Ceremony 2011 Harlem Children Society Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) & Allied Sciences Internship Program

NEW YORK, June 24, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Harlem Children Society (HCS; www.HCS2k.org) will welcome two hundred and fifty under-resourced and under-served students (96% of minority backgrounds: 40% of whom are African American, 26% Hispanic, and 9% Native American; and ~60% Young women) from over 75 schools from all NYC Burroughs (Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island) and Long Island gathered in NYC and sister sites across the country and globally. An overwhelming proportion (90%) of students come from families receiving public assistance. A high proportion of students in the NYC program also happened to be first generation. The Induction ceremony is designed to engage students interested in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematic (STEM) disciplines.

The ceremony kicks off an intensive eight-week and afterschool internship program designed to offer support and mentoring to students seeking to complete degrees and eventually enter specialized professions.  Celebrating its 11th anniversary of providing opportunities to the neediest of students, the HCS will provide practical hands-on experience to students, encourage scholarship in the field and promote research and inquiry in critical subject areas through its 21st Century Research & Development Institute encompassing the following Laboratories: Nanotechnology; Forensics; Environment; Bio/Informatics; Nutritional & Health; Epidemiology; Robotics; GeoSpatial & Geographical Information Science (GIS); Computer Technology & Data Management; Ethics & Social Development.

Date & Time: Monday, June 27th 2011, 2:00 p.m.

Location: New York University
Kimmel Center
60 Washington Square South, New York, NY 10012

Who:    Keynote speakers and attendees will include:

• Congresswoman Nydia Velasquez (New York)
• Congressman Ed Towns (New York)
• Congressman Chaka Fattah (Pennsylvania)
• State Senator Ruth Hasell-Thompson (New York)
• State Senator John Sampson (New York)
• New York City Council member Sanders
• New York City Council members Helen Foster
• New York City Council member Fernando Cabrera
• Other NYC School Superintendents and District Managers
• Indian Consul P.K. Mohanty

Now in its 11th year, since Dr. Sat Bhattacharya founded the program in his laboratory at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center with just three students from two high schools  (who are M.D. and M.D./Ph.D.s.) doing research in his laboratory, the program, has expanded this year involving over 1000 mentors, 200 partner institutions, and over 250 students from 75 schools. Among other developmental activities and training, the students perform one-on-one hands-on science research in myriad of fields in science, technology, math & engineering with accomplished mentors in leading universities, hospitals, research centers like Cornell, Columbia, MSKCC, NASA, and others.

Over 1,000 students have gone through the program and without exception all students either have completed higher education or are still enrolled in major institutions, with over 20% in Ivy League institutions. Over 80% have remained in the sciences. All student interns are from under-resourced and under-served backgrounds, neighborhoods, and school districts.

Contact: To RSVP contact:
Dr. Sat Bhattacharya T: 646-643-8563; Cell: 646-643-8543
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Harlem Children Society