GRAND RAPIDS ? Van Andel Institute CEO David Van Andel on Monday dedicated the building that will house the Van Andel Education Institute Science Academy, an institution that aims to prepare students to enter science-related fields, including providing future researchers for the VAI.

The Science Academy will also offer programs to support upper elementary, middle and high school teachers in the field of science.

?Since the Van Andel Institute was founded, we?ve remained strongly committed to shaping educational excellence,? Van Andel said. ?Over the past five years, Dr. Gordon Van Harn and the team at the Van Andel Education Institute have built a solid reputation in this community for their expertise and innovative educational programming.

?The Science Academy represents the Education Institute?s first major initiative designed exclusively to enrich science education and ?grow scientists.? We expect that it won?t be long before this academy develops a vital presence both in the Grand Rapids area and throughout the national K-12 science education community.?

The Inaugural Program, the first offering by the academy, is a three-year out-of-school-time cohort program for 4th and 5th graders from the Grand Rapids area and will begin July 10 with a group of 21 area students.

The Van Andel Institute purchased the former Mercantile Bank building in 2005 and completely renovated the 11,000 square-foot facility to include designated lab space for whole group, small group and individualized exploration and research; student project rooms for individual or small group study; open space for group demonstrations, discussions and presentations; a resource library; a parent observation room; staff offices; reception area; and a student break room.

The facility was designed to address the needs of diverse learners and provides for a wide variety of experiences, flexible arrangement of space, and opportunities for students to explore and investigate problems and materials of their choosing. Even staff offices are filled with artwork and objects that stimulate scientific exploration and discussion.

The VAI also will host the 2006 MichBio Expo in October.

?We want students to think and learn like scientists,? said Marcia Bishop, VAEI associate director. ?Every aspect of this program, the curriculum and this facility was designed to support that goal. We know each child will come to us with his or her own ideas and questions. We want to foster their curiosity and give them the tools and training to hypothesize, explore, discover, and make connections between science and the world around them.?

Working independently and in teams, students will gather and interpret data; examine prior knowledge; predict outcomes; create models; test hypotheses; discuss, elaborate on, compare and present their conclusions; and evaluate their learning. Study will be enhanced by visits to satellite sites where students investigate problems and materials in depth.

As part of the inaugural program, the academy will offer two three-year after-school cohort programs beginning in September 2006 and January 2007. Each after-school cohort of students will attend a semester-long program for three consecutive years. A summer non-cohort program in August has already been filled. All inaugural sessions are open to 4th and 5th grade students. Tuition for all children in the inaugural program is completely underwritten by the Van Andel Institute.

Requests for student applications for the fall cohort will be available in July at the Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids Public Libraries, area YMCA/YWCA facilities, Sheldon Complex, Baxter Community Center, Big Brothers/Big Sisters offices, the Hispanic Center, through the GT Resource Network, and online at VAI.Org