Posters2008

An Exhibition of Knowledge - A Celebration of Youth Development

Posters2008 Photo Gallery

On August 13, 2008, Biotech Partners interns proudly displayed posters of their summer internship experience during Posters2008, the annual student recognition ceremony presented by Biotech Partners. The event was hosted and sponsored by Bayer HealthCare in Berkeley.

The poster session serves as a memorable closing ceremony to honor each students’ dedicated summer of education and personal growth. Students integrated classroom and workplace learning into their presentations, and beamed with enthusiasm as they discussed their projects with the judges and guests.

Posters2008 attendees represented all affiliated “partner” groups: students’ families, educators, industry representatives, foundations, mentors, elected officials and community leaders. Special guests included: Gina Antonini, Field Representative, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger; Darryl Moore, Council Member, City of Berkeley; Calvin Fong, Senior Aide to Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates; Patricia Garcia, U.S. Dept. of Labor Office of Apprenticeship; Katy Korsmeyer, PhD, President, Bay Area Biotechnology Education Consortium; David Manson, Deputy District Director, State Senator Pro Tem Don Perata; Hon. Winifred Smith, Judge, Superior Court of California, Alameda County; and Keynote Speaker William Wesley, Financial Education Specialist and Financial Advisor, Merrill Lynch.

To kick off the ceremony with exciting news, Executive Director Debbi Bellush announced the newly forged partnership between Oakland Technical High School and Biotech Partners (see ED article below). Sheilagh Andujar, Principal of Oakland Tech, spoke about how pleased she was to have another career-focused academy available to her students, and made particular mention of how impressed she was with the interns’ posters and articulate presentations.

Other highlights of the evening included speeches by interns Kyasha Dallas and Alicia Maciel of Berkeley High School (BHS), presentation of a Teacher Appreciation Award to departing BHS Biotech Academy teacher Dr. Elisa Stone (see article on page 4), and presentations of Certificates of Recognition to Biotech Partners from Governor Schwarzenegger, “I commend your efforts to offer students the opportunity to obtain first-hand experience in the biotech industry,” and Senator Perata, and for “Innovative programming and outstanding service in connecting youth to viable future opportunities in biotechnology.” The City of Berkeley proclaimed August 13th Biotech Partners Day.

Outstanding Mentor Awards were presented to John Wang from Novartis AG and Elaine Yamaguchi from The American Chemical Society—Project SEED, for their long-time support of the BP intern program.

The evening culminated in the presentation of Biotech Partners certificates to interns by BP staff and Berkeley High Biotech Academy teacher Amy Hansen. Certificates of Recognition from Senator Don Perata were also presented to each student commending them on their participation in the program.

Keynote speaker William Wesley emphasized to the students that they were now “armed” with information that most people in the world will never learn, and that by being keepers of this knowledge they have the responsibility to do something of value with it.

Though the evening is a memory now, the sense of fulfillment and accomplishment students felt, along with the respect and attention that the community bestowed upon them, will remain for a lifetime.