Rebecka Rocquin

Rocquin's winning program idea, "Big Science for Little Hands," partners biology students at Loranger High School with students at a local elementary and middle school. Tenth grade students plan and present science-inquiry laboratory experiments to fourth and seventh grade science students where the younger students hypo thesize, test and draw conclusions about a particular field of life science. Each semester, approximately 60 tenth graders work in groups of three with 90 fourth grade students and 90 seven th grade students. Each group presents three science inquiry activities in order to successfully complete the Biology I class. Rocquin believes that one of the most effective ways to learn a concept is to teach it to someone else. Her program provides students with a powerful connection between what they have learned and how they can share it with o thers. The ultimate goal of the project is for the students to become scientifically literate and responsible citizens. Rocquin is a resident of Albany.