Sheldon High School
BIOTECH ACADEMY
A Distinguished California Partnership Academy
Biotech Opportunities
Our Biotech Academy allows students to explore different career paths, schools, and reach out to their mentors to get their insights on certain topics. The Academy offers much more also, students are given an opportunity to compete in the Teen Biotech Challenge and receive summer internships. Along with all of that, our Academy members creates a family bond that will help aid the students throughout High School.
Teen Biotech Challenge
Biotech Students have the opportunity in their Sophomore, Juniors, and Senior year to compete in the Teen Biotech Challenge, hosted by UC Davis. The Teen Biotech Challenge (TBC) is a competition between northern California high school students that combines scientific knowledge, creative writing and design In the 2021 competition, 13 of the winners were Sheldon Biotech students.
SPARK Internship
SPARK offers California high school students an invaluable opportunity to gain hands-on training in stem cell research at some of the leading research institutes in California. SPARK students will spend the summer learning about stem cells and regenerative medicine and will conduct a nine-week research internship in a stem cell lab. At the end of their program, students show off their hard work by presenting their research at the SPARK annual conference.
Map Your Future
​Map Your Future is an annual event hosted at the SES Portuguese Hall. Students from all over the district are invited to come and see all of the academies offered in the district. Biotech officers come to the event and showcase what the academy has to offer. Our student officers teach the students and parents who attend the event how to use a microscope, a micro-pipette, along with how to extract DNA from a strawberry, and much more.
Shriner's Children Hospital SYA
Shriner's Summer Youth Academy is a 6 week program which allows students to work in different department within the hospital. Students are placed into departments based on their application submitted. Departments available within the program include: Researching, Surgery, Orthotics and Prosthetics, ICU, and much more. During the program, students are given opportunity to attend Lunch Time Lectures which educate students about the health care professions.
For more information click here.
Field Trips
The Biotech Academy offers educational field trips to colleges and museums. The Biotech Academy pays for all field trips but students are required to summit a one page letter about why they would like to go to the field trip along with providing background information about the field trip.
Field trips include:
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UC Davis/Merced/Berkeley
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University of the Pacific
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California Northstate University
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Sacramento State
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Exploratorium in San Francisco
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California Academy of Sciences
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Nimbus Fish Hatchery
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Monsanto R&D
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Bayer Crop Sciences
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Sacramento Regional Waste Water Plant
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Mosquito Vector Control
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UC Davis Stem Cell Center
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Kaiser
Summer Student Program
This program starting in 2019, and hosted by The Jackson Laboratory, is aimed towards helping students pursue research in genetics and genomics. This is a rewarding opportunity for any student interested in professional growth and laboratory discover while working under an experienced mentor. For more information regarding admission, important dates, and further information, please click here.
Criminal Justice Shadow Day
The District Attorney’s Office invites students to job shadow professionals from various criminal justice agencies. Based on the area of interest, students will be paired with prosecuting attorneys, defense attorneys, probation officers, law enforcement officers, investigators and judges to get a first-hand look at the criminal justice process and the different roles within the system.
​For more information and to sign up click here.
Blood Drive
Twice a year the Biotech Academy team ups with Blood Source and host a blood drive at Sheldon High School every fall and spring. Students and teachers volunteer to donate blood and/or help set up/clean up after/before the event. Student are able to receive activity points if they donate or help with the event.
Movie Nights
On the months where Biotech does not hold a mandatory meeting, officers host a movie-night instead open to all Biotech academy members as an opportunity for them to bond with one another.
Movie nights are usually held in November and February where an ice cream bar/root beer float station and a newly released movie are displayed.
Past movies that have played at our movie nights include: Zootopia, The Martian, Frozen, Jurassic World, Maleficent, Big Hero 6, and Secret Life of Pets.
Biotech Mentoring Program
Each year, our incoming Biotech freshmen are assigned a senior mentor to answer any questions they may have, and to help them transition smoothly into their first year in the academy. At the end of the five weeks corresponding over email, the seniors and freshmen are able to meet with each other and create a memorable bond.
California Northstate Summer Workshops
This week-long internship focuses on topics related to the battle against Covid-19 and it is taught by physicians and pharmacists. Students were able to perform hands-on activities led by the medical students at Northstate. Attendees explored human cells, drug design, and therapy, and experiences a simulated Covid-19 emergency room.
UC Davis HEALTH Equity Academy
The UC Davis School of Medicine Health Equity Academy is a 6-session program hosted 3 times a year during the fall, spring, summer seasons. This program
introduces high school students to health professions, a variety of medical technology, as well as educates attendees on multiple human body systems. Students are exposed to learn skills such as CPR and suturing. In addition, attendees have the opportunity to study different organs like the brain, heart, and lungs.
