Peer Teaching Program Between AMSA & Sunovion Neuroscience Reaches 500+ Students

In full transparency, the following press release was submitted to SOURCE media through its business wire service.

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MARLBOROUGH – The Advanced Math & Science Academy Charter School (AMSA) and Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Sunovion) announced this week the completion of the fourth year of a program to help students understand Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) life science career paths within a pharmaceutical company, gain professional skillsets and foster a deeper knowledge of neuroscience.

More than 500 students have participated in the program, including 22 AMSA high school seniors and juniors who were coached by Sunovion’s team for their peer teaching roles to deliver neuroscience content to seventh grade students at AMSA between 2019 and 2022.

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“The peer teaching program with Sunovion has become a cornerstone for AMSA and we have had increasing interest from students each year. With the program now in its fourth year, generations of AMSA students have been able to benefit from this critical learning experience,” said Ellen Linzey, Executive Director, AMSA. “The Sunovion team continues to provide great inspiration, counsel and expertise to support our students.”

The AMSA high school students developed lesson plans about the central and peripheral nervous systems that they taught AMSA seventh grade students via video or in-person classroom settings, with the goal to enhance and complement their existing biology class curriculum.

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This neuroscience content was developed in consultation with a cross-functional team from Sunovion with a range of expertise. The high school students also received coaching from Sunovion leaders related to potential career paths, presentation development and delivery skills, as well as other skillsets for professional work environments.

“We are proud of our long-standing collaboration with AMSA that has contributed to advancing the next generation of innovators and leaders,” said Ken Koblan, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, who serves as Sunovion’s executive sponsor of the program with AMSA. “This program has not only helped students gain more foundational scientific understanding but also collaboration skills, which are so important to enabling success in a team-based environment in future academic and professional careers.”

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The 2022 Sunovion-AMSA program student teachers, four seniors and one junior, were honored during a virtual ceremony on May 25, 2022. Upon completion of their Capstone Project, seniors were provided with certificates of completion and scholarships to encourage their academic careers and consideration of further learning in healthcare, the life sciences and neurobiology. The program was initiated in 2019 through the collaboration of Mark Vital, Community Outreach Manager, AMSA and Wendy Scoppa, Senior Manager, Community Relations, Sunovion.

A video of the ceremony and project can be viewed here.

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Ranked as the #2 public high school in Massachusetts by U.S. News & World Report, The Advanced Math & Science Academy Charter School (AMSA) was chartered by the Massachusetts Department of Education in February 2004 and opened in September 2005. AMSA’s teaching model is centered on rigorous college-oriented education for all students. AMSA’s teaching philosophy involves starting challenging abstract learning, typically expected for high school students, early in the middle school grades. AMSA creates an atmosphere of celebration of knowledge where children of all backgrounds and abilities excel in all subjects, especially in math, science and technology, empowering them to succeed in the workplace in our modern, high-tech world. AMSA’s core values are collective and individual values: Model Integrity, Pursue Your Excellence and Foster Community.

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Sunovion is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the innovative application of science and medicine to help people with serious medical conditions. Sunovion’s vision is to lead the way to a healthier world. The company’s spirit of innovation is driven by the conviction that scientific excellence paired with meaningful advocacy and relevant education can improve lives. With patients at the center of everything it does, Sunovion has charted new paths to life-transforming treatments that reflect ongoing investments in research and development and an unwavering commitment to support people with psychiatric, neurological and respiratory conditions. Headquartered in Marlborough, Sunovion is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd. Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc., based in Mississauga, Ontario, is a wholly-owned direct subsidiary of Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc.