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Charles Drew University’s Saturday Science Academy honors more than 160 students at its 10th Annual “Junior White Coat Ceremony” on Saturday, Jan. 16th
The Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science’s Saturday Science Academy
will celebrate a decade of excellence when more than 160 students participate in this year’s 10th annual “Junior White Coat Ceremony.”
The students—from pre-k to 12th grade—will receive their white coats during a ceremony and reception from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan.16th in the gym at the King/Drew Medical Magnet High School, 1601 E. 120th Street in the Watts-Willowbrook community.
“The annual ceremony represents the pride and tradition our students acquire as they begin to see themselves in the medical field,” said Lorraine Grey, the program director. “These students pledge to treasure what they have learned and to continue their quest of one day becoming dedicated medical professionals.”
To earn their coats, students must participate in three consecutive eight-week sessions at the academy, which seeks to inspire children to continue learning and follow a career in health care. The white coats—symbols of accomplishment and a rite of passage—are smaller versions of the ones typically worn by physicians and other medical professionals.
“The Saturday Science Academy is a fantastic program,” said Dr. Keith C. Norris, Interim President of Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science. “It prepares our youth to serve underserved and underrepresented communities through careers in health care and science.”
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) and State Sen. Roderick D. Wright (D-Inglewood) are among more than a dozen noted guests expected to attend the “Junior White Coat Ceremony” on Saturday.
The Saturday Science Academy II is dedicated to giving minority students (ages 4 – 18) the opportunity to visualize the dream of becoming physicians, scientists or other health care professionals through three, eight-week sessions highlighting the human anatomy, marine biology, plant life and the natural sciences. This experience is complemented by one, four-week summer enrichment course to prepare students for the mathematics component of the scholastic aptitude test (SAT).
Founded in the late 1960’s in response to the lack of adequate medical facilities in the area, the Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science’s mission is “to conduct education, research, and clinical services in the context of community engagement, to train health professionals who promote wellness, provide care with excellence and compassion, and transform the health of underserved communities.”
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Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times
Ninth-grader Danielle Divinity receives her white coat during 2009 annual graduation ceremonies at the Saturday Science Academy at Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science in South Los Angeles.
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Read Saturday Science Academy cultivates minds for medicine in the LA Times
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