attention all members

[pp00...@interramp.com]

After the success of the joint Girl Scout USA/AFCR program "Biomedical Discovery:
Bringing Science To Life" at the national meeting, plans are underway to adapt the
program for local girl scout troops all across the country. Consequently, the AFCR is
asking all members for suggestions on how to design simple training modules for the
first three subject areas featured in San Diego, sickle cell anemia, heart failure, and
cystic fibrosis. The three modules were met with an overwhelmingly positive response,
but had the distinct advantage of being presented by AFCR National Councilors. Our
present goal is to redesign the current modules to be easily adaptable for local scout
leaders, and to modify the visual aids to ensure simplicity and supply availability.

We know many of you have presented to grade schools, as well as to your own patients,
many complex medical ideas in a simplified format, so we need your brilliance and
creativity to help modify these training modules. Each module should have an simple
"experiment" that could be conducted in a basement or kitchen. For example, straws,
Play-Dough, and a turkey baster syringe can be used to demonstrate the role of
peripheral resistance on fluids like blood. We need to develop this type of simple
experiment and teaching programs for each of the three modules. The AFCR feels this
is an exciting venture that has the potential to reach thousands of future scientists, and
with proper design can effectively educate and illustrate the joy of discovery in
biomedical research.

All interested parties should contact Greg Vercellotti, AFCR Science Education
Committee Chairman, through the AFCR National Office at (609) 848-7072, via email at
Verc...@maroon.tc.umn.edu, or simply type a reply to this message and it will
automatically be forwarded.