DSC00578Recruitment for Oncofertility Saturday Academy (OSA) 2010 applicants officially began on Monday, November 9, 2009.  This is the fourth consecutive year of OSA and we are expecting a very competitive pool of applicants from Young Women’s Leadership Charter School.  OSA was initiated in 2007 by the Northwestern University and Young Women’s Leadership Charter School (YWLCS) of Chicago Science Partnership.  Since its inception, a total of 46 YWLCS high school girls have participated in the OSA.   Today, of the 46 students, two are college juniors, 15 are college sophomores, 14 are college freshman and 15 are 12th graders in high school.  Of the 31 who are in college, most are actively pursuing science-related majors. OSA Directors and Coordinators will be contacting and surveying all OSA Alums this year to gather information about their most current academic and careers pursuits.  Currently, OSA is also developing mechanisms and opportunities to provide long-term mentoring and support to the participants as they make the transition from high school to college and beyond.

OSA is hoping that the 31 OSA Alums will post comments on this blog to give reasons to the current YWLCS 11th and 12th grade students to apply to OSA.

  • What did you like most about OSA?
  • How did OSA help you make decisions about your academic or career path?
  • How did OSA impact your life?

OSA Alums this is an opportunity for you to give guidance to the next group of OSA participants.  Here are the names of the OSA Alums:

Chanel, Shardey, Nicole, Angelica, Ashley A. Antavia, Guadalupe, Christina, Jasmine F., Ashley M., Antavia, Natalia, Megan, Jasmine S., Yasmine, Deja, Alex, Samantha, Nikki, Mona, Grace, Chloe, Eboni, Abigail, Jathia, Kirsa, Iesha, Brittany, Shaquita, Jasmine W. and Jasmine P.

20090220_3004The Institute for Women’s Health Research created the Women’s Health Science Program for High School Girls and Beyond (WHSP).  The Oncofertility Saturday Academy (OSA) is one of the four academies offered by WHSP to inspire and prepare the next generation of women leaders in science and medicine. To promote and encourage the high school girls to take action and live healthier lives, health workshops, nutritious meals and fitness classes are integrated into every academy. To learn more about all four academies, please visit whsp.northwestern.edu.

Thank you Nikki Cooper and Grace Gallegos for posting comments to the blog.  Here are a couple photos of you in action during OSA!  Other OSA Alumni, if you make a comment, I will post your photo!

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Nikki Cooper, OSA Alumni, Future General Surgeon

Grace Gallegos, OSA Alumni, Future Paramedic and Nurse

Grace Gallegos, OSA Alumni, Future Paramedic and Nurse

Megan (on far left) with her OSA sisters. Megan worked as an OSA Alumni Lab Fellow this past summer in Dr. Woodruff's lab.

Megan Romero (on far left) with her OSA sisters. Megan worked as an OSA Alumni Lab Fellow this past summer in Dr. Woodruff's lab.

Abigail Johnson isolated follicles in Dr. Woodruff's lab.

Abigail Johnson isolated follicles in Dr. Woodruff's lab.

Ashley McKinney is a sophomore at Hampton University. Ashley was an OSA Alumni Lab Fellow this summer in Dr. Woodruff's laboratory. SCIENCE RULES!

Ashley McKinney is a sophomore at Hampton University. Ashley was an OSA Alumni Lab Fellow this summer in Dr. Woodruff's laboratory. SCIENCE RULES!

Shardey is one of the most experienced OSA leaders. She is now a junior in college and majoring in forensic science.

Shardey is one of the most experienced OSA leaders. She is now a junior in college and majoring in forensic science.

Samantha Torres with the da Vinci surgical robot.

Samantha Torres with the da Vinci surgical robot.

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Comments

Abby, Samantha, Ashley, Shardey, and Megan THANK YOU for your comments. This is just so wonderful to read all of your testimonials about OSA. We are planning an OSA Alumni reunion over winter break to reunite the Science Sisters!

OSA is an amazing program focusing on fertility issues that women go through. OSA involves young women students on hands on experience in a lab environment. This program has changed my life for the better. OSA helped me discovery my true love for science and that I would be a better candidate for a lab tech than an “on the scene” crime investigator. I encourage all students to find a program that helps them determine what they want to become in the future. SCIENCE RULES!!!

OSA was one of the most enjoyable programs that I could of done during my high school life. I learned so much and it helped me see that my true passion was medicine. The best year I enjoyed had to be my Senior year. It just was the cherry on top that I need to end my experience. It helped me in my EMT-B classes because of the connections and I could ask any questions that I had. I am currently working at St. Anthony's Emergency Room. This was a boost to my carrer and it made me see that my true calling is medicine. I currently going to school for my paramedic lincense and nursing.Thanks to OSA I dont feel lost when doctors are using medical terminology and I can actually understand what they are saying to me, and I can actually help patients to feel better or atleast know what is going on with their health. Many thanks to Dr.Woodruff and Ms. Faurot for educating me to become a better person.

I just wanted to comment and say this is great to see pictures of these young women in action. They remind me of my niece who I raised as a daughter, she just got her nursing license and graduated with her BS. I feel like I am peering into what her world may be like and it is satisfying to see. I realize from the pictures that you probably don't need this link but I built a website in honor of my niece. If you need scrubs, and I know how important scrubs are to nurses, you can go to <a href="scrubsplussize.org" rel="nofollow">scrubs plus size</a> and look for some cute scrubs. Thank you, Julie

Grace, thank you for this comment. OSA is so proud of all of your accomplishments. You are a leader, a role model for the upcoming OSA sisters to look up to! Keep focused on your academic and career goals and know that you always will be a part of the OSA family - "Once an OSA sister, always an OSA sister!"

I can truly say that joining OSA has been by far one of the best things I could have ever done. Not only has this program helped me in deciding my furture career goal in becoming a General Surgeon but it has also given me expert experience in being involved in the medical field. OSA is not just getting involved in the community it is also very family orientated. I can promise you that joining this program will not only give you hands on work in the medical field, but also inspire you to become an OSA sister for life.

Nikki! Thank you for pointing out that this program is not just for the high school girls but for their parents and all family members. The last module of the program is called the Parent Oncofertility Saturday Academy (POSA). POSA provides the time and space for the students and parents to share experiences related to science and health and preparing for academic programs and careers. Make sure you tell your mom that she is an OSA mom for life!

i liked just about everything in the OSA program i thought it was awesome that not only were we selected by a group of teachers but that we were the only ones offered this through the school and the ONLY school. The labs and activities they had u do were beyond what i thought they would and i thought it was just really cool that they let us use their equipment. at the moment I'm a undecided college freshman i actually don't know what i want to do so i'm going to try different minors, next semester i'm going to try to be an art minor and then try something else if i don't like it. OSA impacted my life so much i learned a lot of new things about fertility and lab work and clinical work i absolutely loved being in the program and i also loved the fact that i have so much experience and knowledge than a few other people that i've meet while here at NIU in DeKalb

Taking part of OSA was a very important part of my academic career. Being able to learn things hands on made me so much more interested in the medical field. After completing this program I knew that I wanted to do something in the health field, and that is what I am doing. I am currently majoring in Community Health with a concentration in Health Planning and Administration. OSA was definitely a stepping stone into helping me get into the health field and I now love what I am going to do. OSA has impacted my life by guiding me into the health field. I highly encourage any young women who are interested in the health field to apply to this program because it can guide you in the right direction.

I want to start off by saying I am junior at Roosevelt University in the Biology department and CRS and OSA has been the best experience that anybody can learn. I am very proud of my accomplishments and proud to be an alumini of the CRS and OSA group. I am happy that Northwestern works with the Young Women Leadership Charter school. Working together expands young women minds and goals to a higher level. I have expanded on a higher education as well as a higher goal in completing many difference science programs. I am excited to see the next groups of OSA leaders.

The thing that I enjoyed most about OSA is our laboratory experiences. We were able to work hands-on, learn scientific protocol and procedures, and interact with various people in various careers and specializations. OSA helped me become more assertive of the career path I wished to pursue after high school. I had always wanted to be a forensic laboratory technician and the OSA lab modules encouraged me to continue on this path because it was what enthused me the most throughout the OSA programs. This summer after completing the OSA Alumni Fellowship Summer Internship I learned that my career goals were not going to be easy, but I was given an opportuity to realize my passion still remained to work in the laboratory setting. OSA has impacted my life by allowing me to grow responsibly, challenge my abilities, and to stay open minded and willing to try new things. It was an experience that I carried with me throughout high school,as a sophmore in college, and hope to carry with me in my future career goals.

My family is looking into this program for our daughter and would like some more information. Any help would be appreciated.

Hi... I think there can be no other way better than this to encourage the students of 12 graders to get admission to OSA that 31 Alums will give their comments on what they got from OSA or how it helped them making decisions about their career.

Im agree with the idea OSA is an amazing program focusing on fertility issues that women go through. OSA involves young women students on hands on experience in a lab environment. This program has changed my life for the better. OSA helped me discovery my true love for science and that I would be a better candidate for a lab tech than an “on the scene” crime investigator. I encourage all students to find a program that helps them determine what they want to become in the future. SCIENCE RULES!!!

Would it be possible to start them even younger or maybe add a few gifted students into the program? For me honing them while at a young age gets better results.

The pictures does make you think that the program is a good one. As a Mom I wouldn't mind sending a daughter there. Thanks for this interesting post and continues success with this lovely program.

This is a really great opportunity for these young ladies. It's really amazing what you folk are doing to contribute to the future of science by investing in these young people. God Bless You.

Nice post really very good job this is very useful for these women. This OSA program is good and amazing idea.

OSA are doing a good job and it's a good step for the women that they can show their abilities through this institution.