March 19, 2004

Me and my mentors: Timilty research shines at annual showcase

Scientific and medical discoveries are made frequently at the MGH by world-renowned clinicians and researchers. Recently, Peter L. Slavin, MD, president of the MGH, (shown at right with Timilty mentors and a student), met with scientists of a different kind — James P. Timilty Middle School seventh and eighth-grade students. The Timilty students presented the science fair projects they had been working on for months Feb. 26 as part of the MGH/Timilty Partnership's Science Connection Program Showcase.

The MGH/Timilty Partnership is a Community Benefit program of the MGH and Partners HealthCare, and is funded by a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Precollege Science Education Program. Despite the large crowd the showcase attracted, students held up well under the pressure of answering questions about their projects from hospital staff, employees and visitors.

The Science Connection Program matches Timilty students with MGH employee mentors who meet with them biweekly from October to February at the hospital. "We welcome mentors from all walks of life at the MGH, from doctors and nurses to administrators and technologists," says Susan Berglund, manager of the Science Connection Program at Timilty.

At a special reception following the showcase, Timilty eighth-grader Leibis Pena congratulated his mentor, Bill Banchiere, director of MGH Environmental Services, on his 10 years of service as a mentor with the program. "I want to thank you for helping me in every way you could during my science project," said Pena. "In the name of all of the students that you have helped during these 10 years, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart."

For more information on how to become a Timilty mentor, send e-mail to Berglund at sberglund@partners.org.