Fifth grade students watch as Darin Gray, shows their class how to construct cotton candy makers from regular objects as part of the Mission Science Program, recently funded by USC's Neighborhood Grants.

One day each year stands out above all others for Jane Pisano, senior vice president for external relations.

"This is my favorite day of the year at USC," Pisano said during the seventh annual USC Neighborhood Outreach grants ceremony on May 8. "Today we will fund 19 projects with a total of $590,000."

The grants ­ made possible by staff and faculty contributions to the Good Neighbors Campaign ­ support partnerships between USC and the community that "enhance the quality of life for all of us who live and work and learn" in the two USC campus neighborhoods, she said. Employees have invested $3.3 million in the campaign since 1995, said Pisano, who chairs the Good Neighbors Campaign.

HSC-related proposals that have received funding for the 2001-2002 school year are:

Mission Science ($58,000)

Mission Science received a $22,000 grant for the Health Sciences Campus and a $36,000 grant for the University Park Campus for after-school, hands-on science and engineering workshops that serve neighborhood elementary students.

In addition to making exhibits out of everyday materials, Mission Science students tackle longer-term projects such as robots, electric cars, pinhole cameras, communications devices and airplanes.

USC Mobile Dental Van ($49,395)

Through USC's School of Dentistry, at least 1,000 second-graders attending USC's partner elementary schools receive examinations and X-rays at a critical time, when their first permanent molars are newly erupted and can be treated with sealants to prevent future decay.

Choices Unlimited ($35,450)

Choices Unlimited is an occupational therapy program for adolescents in the HSC neighborhood. Activities include pre-vocational and leadership training; mentoring and arts and crafts; group activities and field trips; and entrepreneurial and transition activities and career exploration.

Reading Is Healthy ($23,578)

Reading Is Healthy will serve 925 students at Murchison and Griffin elementary schools. USC nursing students work with the youngsters to heighten literacy awareness and improve health habits through one-on-one and small-group reading sessions

USC Health and Science Expo 2002 ($11,130)

The USC Health and Science Exposition held on the Health Sciences campus introduces 500 fourth- and fifth-graders to health information, health professions, and basic health and science principles. USC Health Sciences students work with the pupils to develop projects for display at the expo.

Fuente Initiative ($14,265)

The Fuente Initiative uses the education resources of the School of Pharmacy to organize local professional and student pharmacists to provide poison prevention and drug-use education to children and parents in the HSC partner elementary schools.

Folic Acid Education Strategies ($31,720)

The School of Pharmacy and the USC/Norris Cancer Genetics Unit, with Madres del Este de Los Angeles, will develop an effective health communications tool and delivery strategy to increase knowledge of folic acid among low-income, low-literacy Hispanic families.

USC Healthy Communities ($20,038)

The USC Healthy Communities Project brings USC health services and information directly to families who live near HSC. The project includes a USC health speakers' series and a large community health fair, which will provide height and weight exams, blood-pressure testing, cholesterol screenings, immunizations and other medical screenings that are not readily available to the community.

Expanding STARS ($20,800)

The STARS program allows juniors and seniors at Bravo High School to learn science by joining a basic science research team at USC. Expanding STARS brings USC life science graduate students together with high school science students as mentors in USC research labs and in Bravo classrooms.