Have you ever dreamed of becoming a doctor or a scientist?
You can do it!
We'll give you a BOOST!

The world needs doctors and scientists who come from all types of backgrounds and experiences - smart, motivated people like you who want to make a difference in the world and in the lives of others. If you work hard and stay focused on your goals, you can enjoy an exciting, challenging career in science, medicine…or whatever field you choose!

BOOST offers a number of programs for specially selected Durham fifth and sixth graders, both in and out of your classroom. Here are some of the BOOST programs that can help you develop your love of science and start you on a career path in medicine:

Special activities in your classroom to make science fun!

BOOST is working with fifth and sixth grade science teachers at several Durham schools to help them plan exciting, hands-on activities for your class that can give you a taste of how fun and interesting the world of science can be! Don't be afraid to get messy - these experiments will require you to roll up your sleeves and try things you've never tried before. You will also spend time each month with Science Coaches - current medical students and graduate students in the sciences who will join your class on a regular basis. They can tell you about their own experiences in school and in research laboratories and help you practice the critical thinking and problem solving skills you'll need in the future, whatever career you choose. Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions - that's how the biggest discoveries in science are made!

A mentor to guide you through your own research project!

If you are one of the sixth graders selected as a Science Scholar, you and a classmate will be paired with BOOST Science Coach - a Duke medical or graduate student who will help you plan and carry out your very own scientific research project! Together, you will brainstorm an idea for your project, then work together to design and complete an experiment and record and report the results. You will get to share your work with your classmates and your fellow Science Scholars - prizes will be awarded for the best projects. You may even choose to present your project in your school's science fair or at the annual North Carolina Student Academy of Science or North Carolina Science Olympiad!

Here are samples of research projects done by some of the BOOST Scholars:

Black 3000 by Kiara Ballard

Bullfrog Heart Beating by Jessica Corona

Science Adventures give you an insider's view into Duke's research laboratories!

Sixth graders selected as Science Scholars will get to go on several field trips that will take you inside different research laboratories at Duke University Medical Center - where discoveries are changing how we think about and treat a wide range of diseases, from cancer, to diabetes, to blindness. You'll get a view of these laboratories that few people get to see - with personal tours from the scientists themselves. Have you ever seen a laser in action or a computer that can map a human gene? You will now!

A summer science experience like none other!

This summer, several fifth and sixth grade students and their parents will be invited to join their science teachers for a special weeklong class called Summer Science Immersion. You'll learn about the latest developments in science that are changing the way we live, and work side-by-side with teachers, fellow students, and parents to solve interesting science questions and problems. You'll even get a taste of what it's like to apply to medical school! There will be special recreational activities for you to enjoy, and added bonuses to help your parents support you in excelling in science. With an experience like this, you'll be light years ahead of your classmates!

Field trips to explore science directly!

Each fall we bring the BOOST Scholars, a family member, teachers and Coaches for a weekend at the Duke Marine Lab. We take the large research boat, the Susan Hudson, over to Shackleford Island to study the wild horses and figure out how they survive, take core samples from the beach, examine sand formations, and of course, run in the water. We also charter the Susan Hudson for an afternoon of trawling and dredging. The nets were emptied onto a water table on the deck for examination and we found everything from shrimp to jellyfish. Other trips planned for the year include the Carnivore Preservation Trust, "wafting on the Eno River", and a Medical Day.

Get a taste of middle school before you even get there!

The transition from elementary school to middle school can be exciting as well as a bit scary. We want you and your fellow fifth graders to enter sixth grade full of confidence in your ability to succeed! That's why we've designed a weeklong program that gives fifth graders in Lakewood, E.K. Powe, George Watts Montessori and Forest View Elementary Schools a chance to rotate through classes like you'll do next year in middle school. As you move from class to class, you'll also get a taste of the types of classroom learning that you'll take part in as a sixth grader. With this experience under your belt, making the move to middle school will be a breeze!

We're doing lots of things to BOOST your teachers, too!

The BOOST program isn't just for students - it's for teachers, too! Your fifth and sixth grade teachers are taking part in special training programs and classes to help them find new ways to share their excitement about science with you. Because your school is participating in BOOST, you'll notice a lot of great things happening in your classroom!

Continuing experiences for BOOST Scholars

Even after the formal part of the BOOST program ends, we're working to provide you with lots of programs to continue your interest. They range from the residential Phagehunting program to the Biosciences and Engineering program. Both programs are free for BOOST "graduates."