Program, supported by athenahealth, aims to develop interest in biology through a social justice lens

New York, NY (December 28, 2023) – Geeks Rule, a nonprofit organization that promotes the study of and engagement with science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) among underserved youth, today announced the release of its curriculum for a middle school Biology Club. This program was developed with the support of athenahealth, a leading provider of network-enabled software and services for medical groups and health systems nationwide, and by a team from Teachers College at Columbia University to engage students who are underrepresented in the STEM fields.

The curriculum for the Geeks Rule Biology Club is aligned with Next Generation Science Standards for sixth through eighth grades to support in-class learning in United States middle schools. The curriculum was created by a team led by Dr. Felicia Mensah, Chair of the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology, and Professor of Science Education at Teachers College.

STEM education is vitally important in shaping the future of accessible healthcare and supporting future clinicians and technologists. athenaGives, athenahealth’s global corporate social responsibility program, launched a partnership with Geeks Rule in 2021 to support STEM as part of its mission and to drive future leaders in healthcare.

“Geeks Rule is honored to receive the support of athenahealth, enabling us to partner with Teachers College once again in a creating a fun, hands-on experience that builds interest and proficiency in STEM,” said Mark Stollar, CEO of Geeks Rule. “athenahealth’s commitment to advancing STEM among underrepresented populations not only enabled the development of our new Biology Club, but also makes it possible for us to provide our programming free of charge to our school partners.”

“We are pleased to continue partnering with Geeks Rule and are proud to assist the development of the Biology Club,” said at athenahealth. “Supporting STEM education stands as a key pillar of our broader program mission, and we truly see the value in shaping the future of accessible healthcare.”

“This partnership with Geeks Rule and athenahealth allowed our vision to come to fruition in the creation of the Biology Club Curriculum to make learning biology and STEM education connected to students’ interests in new ways,” said Dr. Mensah. “Our team worked creatively in the development of the activities to give students and teachers the flexibility to enjoy and have fun with the Biology curriculum, especially for minoritized students who get a curriculum that is often not engaging, hands-on, or fun to learn.”

Any middle school that wishes to learn more about the Biology Club, the STEM After School Program, or the Geeks Rule Speaker Series should visit www.geeksrule.org or call 917-757-3667.

About Geeks Rule

Geeks Rule, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, provides programming to underserved middle schools that includes a STEM After School Program, a Speaker Program in which STEM professionals are brought into classrooms (in-person or remotely) to speak about their careers, and field trips to STEM organizations. These programs are provided free to schools thanks to the generosity of individual donations and support from organizations such as athenahealth.

Schools interested in partnering with Geeks Rule, or those who wish to support these activities, should visit www.geeksrule.org for more information.

About athenahealth, Inc.

athenahealth creates innovative healthcare technology that connects clinicians, patients, payers, and partners in differentiated ways. Our electronic health record, revenue cycle management, and patient engagement solutions allow anytime, anywhere access, driving better financial outcomes for our customers and enabling our provider customers to deliver better quality care. In everything we do, we’re inspired by our vision to create a thriving ecosystem that delivers accessible, high-quality, and sustainable healthcare for all. For more information, please visit? www.athenahealth.com.