OSP provides secondary school science teachers with a meaningful research experience. Although research-centered, OSP does not seek to turn teachers into scientists, but into better teachers of science. Importantly, OSP allows Oklahoma's science teachers to continue their education and develop new approaches to deliver science education to Oklahoma’s youth.

OSP began in 1993 at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. In 2004, the program moved to the K-20 Center at the University of Oklahoma. The K-20 Center undertakes a variety of educational outreach programs for the university (www.k20center.org). With these two institutions working together, the OSP program has evolved into two independent but complementary programs: OU-OSP and Noble-OSP.

The OU-OSP program focuses on basic principles of biology and inquiry with broad applications to the areas of ecology and environmental science. Noble-OSP extends these principles into a plant-related field of study. Each teacher participant at Noble is a graduate of the OMRF/OU-OSP program.

In Noble-OSP, the summer begins with simple experiments that permit teachers to understand and then undertake a complex gene discovery research project that leverages expertise and research programs underway at Noble. Teachers further have the opportunity to tour Noble farms and participate in hands-on workshops conducted by Noble scientists. These experiences provide teachers an opportunity to view the impact and outcomes of plant science from the laboratory to the field in a production agriculture setting.

Teachers who participated in this summer's program are:

Lori Allen:
Zoology and AP biology teacher at Guthrie High School — Allen has been teaching for 21 years, 15 of those at Guthrie High School. Allen says her experience at OSP has done more for her teaching than all the training she’s been to in 21 years. She adds that her knowledge base was greatly increased and she’s able to incorporate it into many different areas of her curriculum.

Calvin Aldrich:
Anatomy and physiology, biology, environmental science and zoology/botany teacher at Byng High School — This was Aldrich’s second summer on the Noble Foundation’s campus. He was a member of the inaugural class of Noble-OSP in 2004. Aldrich, who has been teaching at Byng High School for five years, says OSP has given him an understanding not only of science but of the processes that take place in the lab, making him more comfortable there. He says this translates into more hands-on science for his students and gives them an eagerness to learn.

Kay Gamble:
Anatomy and physiology, zoology/botany, AP biology and biology I teacher at Ada High School — Gamble has been at Ada High School for the past nine years, but she has been teaching for 13 years. Gamble says her time with OSP has given her the confidence and tools with which to lead her students in doing the kind of creative science that builds student interest in pursuing science classes beyond the requirements to graduate.

Susie Stevens:
Biology, biotechnology (biology II) and chemistry teacher at Latta High School — A teacher with 25 years' experience, Stevens says OSP allowed her to expand the curriculum and lab methods in her classes. She adds that since her school is predominately rural, she thinks her students will be quite interested in plant experiments. She appreciates that fact that OSP allows time for deeper development of knowledge, giving participants time to investigate individual questions they encountered during their work.

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Photos:
	Lori Allen	Calvin Aldrich	Kay Gamble	Susie Stevens

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The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation (www.noble.org), headquartered in Ardmore, Okla., is a nonprofit organization conducting agricultural, forage improvement and plant biology research; providing grants to non-profit charitable, educational and health organizations; and assisting farmers and ranchers through educational and consultative agricultural programs.