Bobbie Cates Hicks SMART Program

All-female student group pursuing STEM education and careers through local program Eight students from local high schools have begun their yearlong research study with the Bobbie Cates Hicks Science and Medicine Academic Research Training (SMART) program. This year’s exclusively female cohort is a striking shift from the program’s early years when just one to two participants ...

Please consider supporting our SMART students by donating during this year's Give for Good annual day of giving powered by the Community Foundation of North Louisiana: GiveforGoodnla.org/brf

Because of your donations, BRF's SMART students often have an advantage over other college students when applying for limited positions inside the school's labs. Please help us help our students by giving at GiveforGoodnla.org/brf

Please join us in congratulating SMART student Jaylen Pruiett in being the recipient of a Gates Scholarship! Congrats, Jaylen!

CADDO CLASS OF 2023: Congratulations to Jaylen Maurice Pruiett of Captain Shreve High for being awarded The Gates Scholarship! It is a highly selective scholarship for exceptional student leaders, with the intent of helping them realize their maximum potential. Jaylen serves as Student Council President and has represented Shreve as the State Vice President for the Louisiana Association of Student Councils. Jaylen plans to major in psychology on a pre-medical track with a minor in criminology.

Students who graduate from the Bobbie Cates Hicks Science and Medicine Academic Research Training (SMART) program often pursue medical or research careers. Your donation will allow us to continue to have an impact on young lives. GiveforGoodnla.org/brf

Congrats to our 2022-2023 SMART graduates! Click the link to learn more about their accomplishments:

2022-2023 SMART Graduates

Meet two of the students in the Bobbie Cates Hicks Science and Medicine Academic Research Training (SMART) program. Thanks to your donations, they are getting hands-on lab experience before entering college. GIveforGoodnla.org/brf

Donate today to support programs that encourage local students to explore medical and research careers. GiveforGoodnla.org/brf

Congrats to SMART student Raj Letchuman for being named student of the year by the Louisiana Department of Education!

Congratulations to our very own, Raj Letchuman! He was just named Louisiana’s Student of the Year by the Louisiana Department of Education for high school! WE ARE CADDO proud!

Congrats to our SMART ladies!

Congrats, Raj!

The Louisiana Department of Education named Caddo Parish's Elementary, Middle and High School Students of the Year as finalists in the state’s annual Students of the Year competition! Congratulations to Parker Cram of Eden Gardens Elementary Magnet, Esha Pingili of Caddo Middle Magnet and Raj Letchuman of Caddo Magnet High.

Interested in becoming a SMART student? Enrollment is now open for the 2023-2024 program! The deadline to apply is Feb. 28th. Please visit the link for more information and how to apply:
Caddo Parish Public Schools Bossier Schools DeSoto Parish Schools

SMART Program at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center-Shreveport The Science & Medicine Academic Research Training Program provides academically advanced high school seniors who are interested in careers related to medicine, scientific research, and biomedical engineering opportunities to engage in intensive research with medical clinicians, researchers, and acad...

Congratulations to SMART participant Chloe Miller on being a 2023 Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholar! She is one of 300 Scholars selected from 1,949 applications and 627 high schools across 48 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and four other countries.

SMART program participant Raj Letchuman was chosen as student of the Year. Congrats, Raj!

Congratulations to Raj Letchuman, who was chosen as the Caddo Parish Public Schools High School Student of the Year. He will now advance to the state level of the competition. Way to go, Raj! We are so proud of you.

Meet the 11 Caddo Parish students working with BRF and LSU Health Shreveport this school year BRF’s Bobbie Cates Hicks Science and Medicine Academic Research Training (SMART) program 2022-2023 class has begun its yearlong research studies.

BRF is excited to welcome the 2022-2023 Bobbie Cates Hicks SMART class. We can't wait to see what these students achieve!

Bobbie Cates Hicks SMART Program updated their address.

Bobbie Cates Hicks SMART Program updated their website address.

Meet two more students in the Bobbie Cates Hicks Science and Medicine Academic Training (SMART) Program: Ruhani and Karaline. Ruhani plans to pursue a degree in biomedical engineering, while Karaline plans to study nursing. They will be tomorrow's healthcare leaders because of your donations. GiveforGoodnla.org

Today is Give For Good Tuesday! Please consider supporting the Bobbie Cates Hicks Science and Medicine Academic Training (SMART) Program to help tomorrow's doctors and medical researchers. GiveforGoodnla.org/brf

Meet two of the students in the Bobbie Cates Hicks Science and Medicine Academic Research Training (SMART) Program. Thanks to your donations, they are getting hands-on lab experience before entering college. GiveforGoodnla.org/brf

Donate today to support programs that encourage local students to explore medical and research careers. http://ow.ly/N36F50IMu8V

Help the SMART program continue to thrive during Give for Good! 🔬

Help prepare local students for tomorrow by providing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education opportunities today. Donate now at giveforgoodnla.org/brf.

Due to recent ❄️ storms, power outages, and cancelations, the deadline for applications has been extended to Tuesday, March 2 at 4pm. Message us with any questions!

The Bobbie Cates Hicks Science and Medicine Academic Research Training Program (SMART) is now accepting applications for participation during the 2021-2022 school year. Applications are due by February 28, 2021. More information can be found at BRF’s website at the following link: https://www.brfla.org/edventures/

The Bobbie Cates Hicks Science and Medicine Academic Research Training Program (SMART) is now accepting applications for participation during the 2021-2022 school year. Applications are due by February 28, 2021. More information can be found at BRF’s website at the following link: https://www.brfla.org/edventures/

The 2020-2021 Bobbie Cates Hicks SMART program starts this week! We are so excited to welcome the new students and wish them much success! Thank you to all of the LSUHSC mentors, community members, and the Caddo, Bossier and DeSoto Parish School Boards for partnering to make this program possible.

Due to COVID-19, our summer SMART program was unfortunately canceled. Planning for fall is in full-swing, with considerations for COVID protocols and laboratory occupancy restrictions being carefully followed. We are working with LSUHSCS to ensure the health and safety of both participants and mentors, and look forward to sharing more information soon.

Please consider giving to our Give for Good campaign to support the SMART and BioStart Internship Programs! We have a fantastic group of talented and excited students from 5 high schools ready to start SMART this fall! Support our future local doctors, nurses, and research scientists!! 👨🏾‍🔬👩🏻‍⚕️🩺🔬

Since 1997, BRF has partnered local high school seniors with researchers at LSU Health Sciences Center Shreveport for two hands-on internship programs. With our focus on the future of healthcare, help us support these aspiring doctors and scientists today.

To learn more about and to donate to the Bobbie Cates Hicks Science and Medicine Academic Research Training (SMART) program and the BioStart program, visit www.giveforgoodnla.org/brf.

SMART is a partnership among BRF, LSU Health Sciences Center Shreveport, and the Caddo, Bossier, and DeSoto parish school boards.

BioStart is a partnership among BRF, LSU Health Sciences Center Shreveport, and Southwood High School.

2018 SMART class

Dear Graduates, Friends, Family Members, Educators and Supporters:
The BRF will once again participate in “Give for Good” day on Tuesday, May 2, 2017, to raise funds for the SMART Program.

This year, to promote the Program, we would like to share a few “Where are they Now?” stories and are asking for your assistance.

We are looking for past SMART graduates who have either stayed in the Shreveport area or moved away. Either way they had an opportunity to experience the Program.

To facilitate this endeavor we are asking your assistance to forward the following information and have past students share with others and reach back directly to us.

Our deadline for this information is Friday, March 24.

Past SMART Student Response Questions:
Please provide the following information about yourself, along with a headshot:

1. Name and Contact Information
2. Year graduated from SMART Program
3. Graduated from what high school
4. Attended and graduated from what College/University?
5. What degree did you obtain or are you pursuing at the present time?
6. If you are finished with academics, what is your present career and place of employment?
7. What projects are you working on or have worked on that the SMART Program may have relevance to in preparing you for a career in science?
8. How did SMART help equip you for the future you are pursing today?

Don’t be afraid to brag on yourself a little bit here – please include any other pertinent information.

Thank you so much for sharing part of your journey with us. Please have this information back to us at [email protected] by March 24 so that we may include you in our Give For Good story!

Applications to SMART are due Monday, February 27. Click the link to download!

SMART application

This year's SMART students gathered up for a photo op this morning in the BRI - great looking group!

Catch details of the luncheon and 19th class here!

EdVentures SMART Luncheon - Biomedical Research Foundation The Biomedical Research Foundation held its annual luncheon honoring the Science and Medicine Academic Research Training program 2016 class, which consists of area high school seniors who gain experience through a one-year, hands-on curriculum of medical-intensive projects at the Louisiana State Uni...

Our 19th class just graduated from the SMART program! Congrats to this bright bunch, and we look forward to the 20th class! Biomedical Research Foundation

Congratulations to the 2012-2013 SMART students who placed in the Top Five at the Louisiana Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) in January!

2nd Place: Joan Liu, Caddo Magnet High School, Shreveport
4th Place: Christine Hennigan, Captain Shreve High School, Shreveport
5th Place: Sarah Brantley, Airline High School, Bossier City

Joan will be participating in the National JSHS in Dayton, Ohio in May 2013.

Great job, SMART students!

NEW!! SMART Luncheon Photo Album created. Nearly 80 people attended the 2011-2012 Annual SMART Luncheon on April 18 at the Petroleum Club of Shreveport. Students, faculty mentors from LSU Health Shreveport, parents, lab partners, and teachers and administrators from Caddo, Bossier and DeSoto Parishes came to celebrate another successful year of the SMART laboratory research program for high school seniors.

The SMART Alumni Tracking Study results are now available. Thanks to all of you who responded to this survey. These results will be used to demonstrate the impact of the SMART program by providing laboratory and medical research opportunities to high school seniors.

The Biomedical Research Foundation : News Room

Hello, SMART Alums: We received 84 responses to our tracking survey! Many thanks to those who participated and spent the time providing us with valuable information that will help us improve the SMART program. Results are being tabulated now, and we hope to have them posted by mid-February 2012.
Lauren, Virginia, and Dawn