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by Amy Beth Graves

As superintendent of Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center, Mike McDaniel keeps a close eye on market trends as he helps guide his students in their career paths. One area that has caught his attention is the rapidly growing bioscience industry.

With the help of three county Ohio Farm Bureaus and about 20 educators, science experts and business professionals, the career center is ready to offer a comprehensive bioscience curriculum next school year.

"We felt this (project) was something we should be involved in. It will help attract people to the field of agriculture," said John Fitzpatrick, organization director for Ashland, Medina and Wayne counties, which have helped promote and finance the project.

BioScience Tech is a two-year, high school curriculum designed for juniors and seniors with an interest in science. The program will help prepare students for three major fields of study: agriculture, research and medical, McDaniel said. Students can earn up to a year of college credit.

The program is limited to 15 juniors the first year, and 10 students have already completed their applications, McDaniel said. In the second year, the program will have a maximum of 24 juniors and seniors.

"It’s like a tech prep program on steroids," he said. "Students really want to do something meaningful, to be more challenged. That’s what this program aims to do."

In the agriculture program, some of the things students may research are how to increase food safety, improve disease prevention, create new feedstocks for plastics, paints and lubricants and improve animal and plant health, McDaniel said.

"There’s a need locally for students who are strong in math and science," Fitzpatrick said.

Starting a high school bioscience curriculum makes sense for the area, which is rich with bioscience firms, McDaniel said. For the last several years, he has noticed that WIL Research Laboratories LLC has struggled to find qualified applicants for its rapidly growing research business. Nearby is Ashland University, which is one of six universities nationwide to offer a master’s degree in toxicology. And the Oho Agricultural Research and Development Center is developing a new bioag complex just a few miles away, McDaniel said.

"Interest in this (curriculum) is growing because the bioscience industry is too," he said.

The consortium of educators, industries and science experts tried to put the program together a couple of years ago but failed to attract enough students or receive sufficient funding. After U.S. Rep. Ralph Regula, R-Navarre, heard about the program, he helped the group secure a $150,000 government grant. But that funding was eliminated in the new Congress. The consortium has reapplied for the grant and for now is relying on local donations.

"Farm Bureau was fantastic at a time when we were wondering if this was going to happen, and they came through with a contribution," McDaniel said. "Farm Bureau has been great with their support."

Samaritan Regional Health System has offered the use of some of its clinical labs for the program, McDaniel said. The goal is to build a training area that can accommodate two dozen students, he said.

"The consortium is excited about the program because many businesses are looking for qualified, skilled employees," he said. "Hopefully they’ll get them now."