In his senior year of high school, Marrufo worked with Russel J. Reiter, PhD, on research involving the pineal gland. Dr. Medina said he started the program with the goal of helping students do well in school. He wanted to encourage them not to drop out and to show them what they could accomplish. Dr. Medina and other volunteers confront a special problem because some students come from low-income families. Students in the program are selected by their middle-school counselors.
Work starts in the freshman year.
They begin honors science classes at Fox Tech High School, and begin an escalating course of study with Health Science Center faculty. By the senior year, the students spend a half-day four days a week at the Health Science Center, usually in labs and under the direct supervision of a faculty member. Rosemary Castro, a biomedical teacher at Fox Tech, said the professional setting and demand for quality work have an immediate effect on the students. Many faculty members are mentors in less formal programs they often arrange themselves. One who has been widely acknowledged for his work is John F. Alderete, PhD, professor of microbiology.