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U.VA. MEDICAL SCHOOL DONATES 93 MICROSCOPES TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS

To help support high quality science education, the University of Virginia School of Medicine has donated 93 Leica Binocular Compound microscopes to five area public schools. Charlottesville High School received 27 of the microscopes and four Albemarle County High Schools received 66, a donation valued at nearly $200,000.

At its September 13 meeting, the Albemarle County School Board passed a Resolution of Appreciation thanking the U.Va. School of Medicine and Dr. Robert Carey, the school's dean, for exemplary service to the community and dedication to providing quality support to the education of Albemarle County children. School Board Vice Chairman R. Madison Cummings, Jr., presented a plaque bearing the resolution to Dr. Munsey Wheby, the medical school's senior associate dean, who accepted it for Dr. Carey.

Dr. Wheby said the donation had personal meaning for him because his own children graduated from the system several years ago. He said he hopes this donation will help stimulate more student interest in science and medicine. During the ceremony, Dr. Wheby praised the efforts of Robert Bloodgood, professor of cell biology, who initiated the donation and provided the schools with information about the use and care of the microscopes.

This type of involvement will make it easier for us to prepare our students for the Virginia Science Standards of Learning, said Michael L. Terry, science chairperson for Charlottesville High School in a letter of thanks to Dean Carey. By being a part of the instructional method, these microscopes can improve the learning of biology concepts, skills and processes.

Bloodgood, a former Charlottesville City School Board member, said, This microscope donation is yet another example of the important continuing and reciprocal relationship between the School of Medicine and the local school divisions. Strong local public school systems, like Albemarle County and Charlottesville City Schools, are critically important to the faculty and staff of the School of Medicine and the entire university. The school systems also benefit from our human and other resources.

For more information or to arrange photo shoots, call U.Va. Health System Media Relations at (804) 924-5679.

October 7, 1999