In
the large, sun-filled atrium of Novartis in Central Square, 18 seventh
graders from the Cambridgeport School joined their 18 Novartis NetPals
on January 25 for lunch and conversation. Every seventh grader at the
Cambridgeport School gets a Novartis scientist as a NetPal to support
them in learning about the scientific method. The luncheon was their
first face-to-face meeting since beginning the new semester’s NetPal
program.
The program focuses on a Science EXPO project that students design,
with assistance via e-mail and in-person communication from their
Novartis NetPal friend. Students and partners have four face-to-face
visits, culminating in a breakfast at the school, where students
showcase their EXPO project to NetPals and parents.
For
students, it is probably the first time they get to design a science
experiment, develop a hypothesis and procedure for testing the
hypothesis, do the testing and describe the results. For the NetPal
mentors, it is a wonderful opportunity to share their science knowledge
and give helpful suggestions during the process. Plus, students get to
meet and work with a real scientist, visit a large biotech company
up-close and consider possible career choices. This particular NetPal
program has been in existence for seven years under the management of
Cambridge School Volunteers.
NetPals and its sister program, KeyPals, are rites of passage at
several Cambridge middle schools. Cambridge School Volunteers will work
to preserve these corporate partnerships next year as upper school
grades move to new locations and expand.