Monday Night Mentoring By Judith Ellision
"Mark Kellogg literally gave blood for his 'Laboratory Medicine' class." - Jean Maas, MNT Program Coordinator


Testing the PH level in a water sample


Behind the camera in television production class


Practicing dental hygiene skills on dentures


Directing mini-robots in electrical engineering

Students in green surgical scrub gear file into the operating room suite, ready to absorb the inner sanctum secrets known only to the resident medical staff. The students take turns inspecting items peculiar to operating rooms and observing mock surgical preparations.

Are these pre-med students? Allied Health Sciences majors? Neither. They are seventh and eighth graders, students in the Mecosta-Osceola Intermediate School District who are enrolled in the Monday Night Technology (MNT) program.

Experts Share More Than Experience
In this hands-on program, FSU professors, Mecosta County Medical Center staff and area professionals give the young students an opportunity to explore careers in math, science and technology. The 110 students who are enrolled this year work in labs with professionals in such programs as manufacturing engineering, plastics, biotechnology, architectural design, optometry and photography.

"The dissection class is optional," said Jean Maas, MNT Coordinator, "but the students love it. These teachers really care about the students in this program. While a stipend is offered, many instructors use the funds to purchase supplies that enhance the students' learning experience. Last year Bob Palmer bought dogfish shark specimens for his students to dissect. 

"Mark Kellogg literally gave blood for his 'Laboratory Medicine' class - they do a diabetes check, and any student who doesn't want to use his own blood sample can use Mark's."

Open to All
The MNT program is open to all seventh and eighth graders in the district.

"In September each school, public and nonpublic, receives a 5-minute video which shows students the Monday Night Technology experience," Maas said. "Interested students fill out an application and submit it with an essay describing their interests and future plans. Every seventh or eighth grader who has applied has been accepted."

MNT, developed 10 years ago by MOISD director Paul Bigford, was selected for the Michigan Association of School Board's 1997 Michigan's Best! Education Excellence Award. Bigford and Maas presented the program at the National Association of School Boards Conference in New Orleans in April 1998.

"This program gives students a chance to decide, 'Yes, I love to do this' or 'No, I definitely don't want to do this the rest of my life," Maas said.

An inside look into operating rooms, dark rooms and labs of every variety gives these pre-teens and young teens a head start on their future.