ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. -- The Army is helping prepare students to protect the nation.
The U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command's chemical and biological center is assisting Harford County Public Schools with the development and implementation of Joppatowne High School's Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Program Aca,!aEURc the nation's first high school program that paves the way to a HSEP career.
Edgewood Chemical Biological Center workforce members attended Joppatowne High School's HSEP Program Senior Capstone Expo May 19 to congratulate the nation's first HSEP program graduates on the successful completion of their innovative research projects.
"What you have accomplished means progress for Harford County and our nation and is a result of commitment and determination," said HCPS Superintendent Robert Tomback, addressing Joppatowne High School's HSEP graduates. "Today, we are celebrating the crop of the seed that has been planted two years ago."
Dedicated to offering students career skills and technological expertise in the areas of homeland security and emergency preparedness, ECBC participated in this pioneering effort to enhance the traditional curriculum with the HSEP Program.
"Our subject matter experts have served as members of the Program Advisory Committee since 2005 and helped shape the program's curriculum by transferring technologies based on the needs of the private and government sector," said Community and Educational Outreach Manager Mary Doak. "Sharing my own professional experience, I was honored to contribute to the creation of such a high-in-demand program."
After completing the course Foundations in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness in tenth grade, Joppatowne High School seniors were able to pursue one of three pathways Aca,!aEURc Homeland Security Sciences, Law Enforcement/Criminal Justice or Information/Communications Technology: Geographic Information Systems.
With a focus on effective communication, prevention, response and recovery techniques in their final capstone projects, students investigated solutions to protect the United States against public health and safety threats.
"The true hallmark of this program is that students graduate with specific ideas and plans of what they want to do professionally. After acquiring specialized knowledge and hands-on experience, they have the full rainbow of options," said HSEP Program Coordinator Leah Skica. "One of our keys to success was pulling in mentors from sponsoring organizations like ECBC to guide and motivate our students through the program."
Lending their professional expertise to some of Joppatowne's HSEP Program students, ECBC Chemist Shawn Bowen, Program Security Manager Jeremy Taylor, Research Biologist Roy Thompson as well as Biologists Alena Calm, Leanne Argue Chacon and Amanda Dubbs volunteered to serve as mentors.
Later into the mentoring program, Research Chemist Vicki Bevilacqua Aca,!aEURc whose support was funded by the National Defense Education Program Aca,!aEURc joined as an additional helping hand due to her deep interest in educational outreach and the program's demand.
Bowen assisted Joppatowne HSEP graduate David Braswell with his senior capstone project Health Center Simulation During a Biological Attack Using ExtendSim Aca,!aEURc the model of a triage-performing health center in Bel Air, Md. to treat and save disaster victims in a timely and well-managed way. Providing Braswell professional guidance, she recommended the simulation tool ExtendSim and showed him how to use the software to create a dynamic model of a real-life process.
"It was an amazing experience to work with my mentee and watch him generate effective results for the simulation of a real-life health center in response to a potential disaster," said Bowen. "He was able to learn a complex software package and how to apply it to a meaningful problem."
Presenting the goal, approach and conclusion of his project, Braswell confidently talked to interested professionals in his community and explained the steps of his four-color triage system.
In conversation, he also expressed his desire to help people in his future career and to pursue a degree in fire science to become a professional firefighter.
"As a parent it is wonderful to see community support from dignitaries and professionals that recognize this program," said student mother Bobbie Braswell. "Mentors' support and guidance has been instrumental for the students looking towards their future and developing goals."
Braswell Aca,!aEURc supported by his mentor Bowen Aca,!aEURc presented the results of his senior capstone project at the Chemical Demilitarization Training Facility June 3.
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