South San Francisco, CA August 31, 2016 Submitted by Genentech
Yesterday was the much anticipated groundbreaking of the first, and only, biotech facility at South San Francisco High School
Compared to neighboring communities, South San Francisco schools face challenges including limited resources and larger class sizes, and only 30% of high school graduates go on to attend a four-year.
In order to address these issues and inspire a new generation of STEM students, Genentech, in partnership with the SSF Unified School District, is working to design and build Science Garage – a new 6,900 square-foot, state-of-the-art biotech lab and classroom at South San Francisco High School – the first and only of its kind for SSF students. The groundbreaking ceremony at South San Francisco High School yesterday commemorates the start of construction. When complete in 2017, Science Garage will serve ~1,000 students annually in the District. At the end of the two-year, California state-approved biotech curriculum students will be prepared for college and have an increased awareness of careers in biotech.
Science Garage is part of Genentech’s Futurelab, which is a collaborative program with the South San Francisco Unified School District (SSFUSD) to support STEM education. Futurelab builds on Genentech’s long-standing commitment to science education and seeks to make a difference in the lives of local students, empower teachers and inspire employees. Through the program, South San Francisco students at every grade level will have opportunities to engage in STEM.
For more on Genentech’s dedication towards SSFUSD through Futurelab please CLICK HERE