This May, MLSC President and CEO Kirk Taylor and the MLSC team celebrated the latest cohort of the New Bedford High School Apprenticeship Challenge. Through the MLSC High School Apprenticeship Challenge, 33 New Bedford students participated in an after-school biotechnology lab-training program. The MLSC team also facilitates and funds internships for these students upon completion of the program. Since 2019, 104 New Bedford students have participated in the program. This year we are providing more than $48,300 to support the New Bedford cohort, building off our historical investment of this program for New Bedford students now totaling over $238,100 since 2019.
In 2018, New Bedford High School opened its state-of-the-art Biotech Lab furnished with the latest biotechnology apparatus, equipment, tools, and supplies required of experimental protocols used by real-world scientists. This lab was a significant addition to the school’s growing complement of STEM-focused offerings for students interested in pursuing careers in science. The Biotech Lab was made possible with over $292,000 in capital grants from the MLSC, coupled with over $30,000 in teacher professional development funding.
Furthermore, New Bedford High School and several middle schools received a new grant this fiscal year totaling $175,000 in capital grants and an additional $45,000 for teachers’ professional development to update the Biology Laboratory with new furniture and equipment.
