TCC’s Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences Wins $95,000 Amon G. Carter Foundation Grant

FORT WORTH, Texas (Dec. 12, 2016) – Amon G. Carter Foundation has awarded Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences (TABS), a partnership between Tarrant County College Trinity River Campus and Fort Worth ISD, a $95,000 grant to launch a senior capstone program at the academy to ensure graduates are prepared for postsecondary education.
 
“This grant provides a phenomenal opportunity for TABS students and is a testament to the Carter Foundation’s commitment to the next generation of scientists and innovators,” said S. Sean Madison, Ph.D., president of Tarrant County College Trinity River Campus in downtown Fort Worth.
 
One of the main goals for the new program includes a forum for collaboration with Wake Forest University. This is a project-based learning program and an application of skills learned in earlier courses, as well as applied STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math). It is similar to a course at MIT that integrates those fields, according to Troy Langston, principal of Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences at TCC Trinity River Campus.
 
“In response to our ever-changing, complex and diverse global environment, Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences is partnering with TCC and the Amon G. Carter Foundation to create an innovative capstone course,” said Jay Kurima, TABS science department chairman and primary instructor for the course. “This biomedical science-focused capstone course gives seniors the opportunity to engage in creative problem solving related to authentic and timely issues in their local community. Students will utilize and develop their “maker mindset” by using cutting-edge technology such as 3-D printers and laser cutters to design and fabricate physical solutions to those issues.
 
TABS is one of three Fort Worth ISD schools to earn the high-progress Title I designation for 2015-2016, according to the Texas Education Agency (TEA). A high-progress school is identified as a Title I school in the top 25 percent in annual improvement and/or a school in the top 25 percent of those demonstrating ability to close performance gaps based on system safeguards. At the high school level, a reward school is a Title I school with the highest graduation rates. Overall, the TEA has identified 300 campuses statewide as high-performing and/or high-progress Title I Schools for 2015-2016.
 
“These are outstanding distinctions of which TCC, Fort Worth ISD and all TABS partners are overwhelmingly proud,” Madison said. “These distinctions also recognize the commitment and hard work that TABS faculty and its leadership demonstrate to ensure these remarkable educational outcomes for one of this County’s premier Early College High Schools.”
 
The complete list of 2015-2016 high-progress and high-performing schools (school districts and campus names) may be viewed on the TEA website.
 
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CONTACT:
Reginald Lewis
Tarrant County College
817-515-1542
pr.marketing@tccd.edu
www.tccd.edu