Page 20 - Abacoa Community News - May '23

Page 20, Abacoa

Science On The Cutting Edge from page 18 microscopes for phenotypic analysis, fruit flies to use in
Max Planck Florida Institute student-designed experiments, and fly housing and rearing
tools. Plus, each participant can continue collaborating with
MPFI staff to support their in-class modules.
How Studying Fruit Flies Enhances STEM In About TEACHS
South Florida Schools TEACHS is funded by the Robert and Mary Pew Public
Education Fund, a nonprofit organization that aspires
Students in six to improve children’s access to high-quality educational
Palm Beach and enhancements.
Martin County Educators applied through MPFI’s website and were
public schools will selected based on specific criteria around their classrooms’
get a STEM boost this spring, thanks to seven dedicated goals and their familiarity and interest in genetics. This
educators who participated in TEACHS at Max Planck Florida year’s participants included:
Institute for Neuroscience (MPFI). • Susan Hahn, Eagles Landing Middle School
TEACHS – Training Educators About Classroom Hands-on • Morgan Gaskill, Boca Raton Community High School
Science – is a free interactive workshop series led by renowned • Chelsea Cantwell, Santaluces Community High School
MPFI staff with expertise in leading neuroscience research • Kendall Aldrich, Jupiter Community High School
techniques. Offered to middle school and high school educators, • Ian Gagnon, South Fork High School
the goal of these professional development events is to support • Danielle Wertz, South Fork High School
educators in sparking interest in STEM among their students. • Sandra Gibson, Park Vista Community High School
curriculum. The genetics workshop covered key learnings, TEACHS is compliant with professional development
such as: standards and aligns with Florida’s curriculum. It’s MPFI’s
• Experimental design – creating hypotheses and methods goal to continue fostering appreciation and excitement for
of testing STEM in young people throughout the state and United States
• Statistical analysis of experimental data – empowering educators with the latest scientific approaches
• Discussion on the pros and cons of the most commonly is an effective first step in nurturing the next generation of
used model organisms young scientists.
• Inheritance patterns of observable traits in fruit flies and
parallels of the same patterns in well-known human diseases Florida Atlantic University
Closing out the eight-hour training, Drago and Eggerman (FAU)
delivered lectures on some of the most recent and exciting
techniques in the field such as CRISPR Cas9 gene editing
and optogenetics, which involves monitoring and controlling New Horizons In Alzheimer’s Disease And
cellular function with light. Related Dementias Awardees
New Lessons, New Equipment
The Feb. 20 TEACHS session was led by head of Each teacher who participated is now equipped to By Gisele Galoustian
education outreach Dr. Ilaria Drago and education outreach bring important scientific lessons to life for their students, In recognition of the quality
coordinator Erica Eggerman, who have a combined 17 years including: of Alzheimer’s disease and
of expertise in drosophila (fruit fly) genetics and behavior. • Predict the genotype of flies by setting up and observing related dementias (ADRD)
The duo provided in-depth instruction to educators from test crosses research being conducted at Florida Atlantic University,
five Palm Beach and Martin County high schools and one • Understanding phenotype inheritance patterns – the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, the College of
Palm Beach County middle school – the first middle school dominant and recessive alleles Engineering and Computer Science, the Institute for Human
educator to participate in TEACHS. • Fruit fly climbing assay experiment – easily customizable Health and Disease Intervention (I-Health), the FAU Stiles-
Action-Packed Day Of Learning for students to test their own ideas Nicholson Brain Institute, and the David and Lynn Nicholson
The educators participated in hands-on workshops Educators who completed the workshop also get access
designed to fit within development guidelines and current to MPFI’s Lending Lab resources. These robust kits include New Horizons In Alzheimer’s Disease on page 21
$700,000+ Raised To Hit Homelessness

Out Of The Ballpark

The Lord’s Place 16th Annual Today, Putnam lives in a home with other former clients
SleepOut Is A Home Run of The Lord’s Place and works as a Peer Specialist for the
agency, using what he has learned to help others.
Over the last 16 years, SleepOut has served as a symbolic
The Lord’s Place 16th effort to raise awareness of the estimated 3,000 men, women,
Annual SleepOut to end and children without a home on any given night in Palm
homelessness took place Beach County. Following the program, participants were
on Friday, March 31, 2023, encouraged to step out of their comfort zones and spend
at Roger Dean Chevrolet the night on the ballfield or stage their own SleepOut–
Stadium. The social impact somewhere other than the comfort of a bed. More than 50
agency raised more than attendees rolled out their sleeping bags and set up their tents
$700,000 which will in the outfield.
support The Lord’s Place The home-run event is helping hit homelessness out of
programs and services The Lord’s Place Street Homeless Outreach and Street the ballpark.
aimed to break the cycle Engagement Team About The Lord’s Place
of homelessness for men, For more than 40 years, The Lord’s Place has been
women, and children in people with resources to rebuild their lives, including access working to break the cycle of homelessness for men, women,
Palm Beach County. CEO Diana Stanley and to health care and mental health services, job training, and children in Palm Beach County, FL, through innovative,
More than 500 donors, Sarah Alsofrom, GL education, and supportive services.” compassionate and effective services. It provides supportive
staff members, clients, and Homes Senior Director of Stanley announced the agency’s plan to open two new and graduate housing at twelve locations; operates social
friends of The Lord’s Place Community Relations housing programs in the next year, both earmarked for older enterprises including Joshua Catering; provides job training
gathered at the ballpark. They brought supplies and helped adults. Burckle Place III, a multigenerational supportive and placement services, clinical and care coordination, and
assemble school backpacks, pantry baskets, cleaning housing facility for women which will be the first of its kind community engagement services; and has a highly-successful
buckets, and outreach bags to later serve the 1,800 clients in Palm Beach County, is being built in Lake Worth and reentry program helping men and women transitioning from
who are in The Lord’s Place care every year. Children scheduled to open in the fall of 2023. Bill’s Place, a project incarceration. For more information visit thelordsplace.org.
and adults alike traveled the agency’s mission pathway, in which The Lord’s Place is working in tandem with the
participating in hands-on and engaging activities to learn county, will welcome 15 elderly men.
about the programs and services available to help the clients The evening also featured a question and answer
journey out of homelessness. There was also an auction, session with former William H. Mann Place client Guy
music, crafts and games, and a celebratory program. More Putnam. Despite coming from a good family and attending
than 600 generous donors helped The Lord’s Place exceed Rutgers University on a full scholarship, Putnam started
its fundraising goal of $325,000, and inclusive of a matching taking drugs to stay awake to study. His addiction
gift from The Honorable Ann Brown, more than $700,000 eventually led him to shoplifting, living on the streets
was raised to help end local homelessness. of West Palm Beach, and eventually joining The Lord’s
According to Diana Stanley, CEO of The Lord’s Place, Place reentry program.
“We recognize people who are homeless are individuals Putnam shared, “I heard the old adage, you can’t teach
with their own unique stories and challenges. And our belief an old dog new tricks. But I found that you can help an
is very, very simple. Homelessness is not a choice. Let me old dog remember your old truths and create new truths
remind all of us, it could happen to any of us. At the core for yourself. At The Lord’s Place, they helped me heal,
of homelessness, especially in this community, is the lack encouraged me to reach out and find the potentials I didn’t The group of attendees who spent the night at the ballpark
of stable and affordable housing. Plus we need to provide already have, and just move forward.”