From cars they can raceand eatto towers made out of newspaper and masking tape, students will have fun testing their skills at the Governors School for Math and Science at West Virginia University.

Thirty students entering eighth grade in the fall will attend the first session July 6-15; 30 students starting ninth grade will take part in a second session July 17-29.

From the moment students arrive on campus, the idea is to immerse them in math and science, said WVU Honors Program Director Keith Garbutt, who serves as dean of students during the Governors Schools.

Students will attend morning and afternoon classes taught by instructors from WVU and other state higher institutions, along with public school math and science teachers. This focus on math, physics, biology, chemistry and engineering will give students the tools they need to produce the final project.

Not all of it is calculus,Dr. Garbutt said.A lot of things they do are fun.

Activities include a field trip to Pittsburgh to tour PNC Park, the Carnegie Science Center and SportsWorks, the largest science and sport exhibition in the worldalso a visit to WVU s Milan Puskar Stadium, home of Mountaineer Field.

On Sundays (July 10 and 24) around 4 p.m., students will gather in front of WVU s Life Sciences Building to see who can build the tallest, strongest tower out of newspaper and masking tapeand the fastest edible car.

This year, were going to make cars out of candy,Garbutt said.Its not quite as spectacular as bottle rockets, but the students get to eat them in the end. Well race those and build vinegar and baking soda-powered cars as well.

For the final project, participants will work in teams to plan the sports complex of their dreams.

What were trying to do is pick an idea that is big enough to include virtually the whole breadth of science and math, but which has a very practical and down-to-earth reason for it,Garbutt said.

But not wholly down to earth because we had a space station simulator last year,he added.

In addition to exercising their brains, the young scientists will have opportunities to give their bodies a workout. Each day, they will have at least three recreational activities to choose from.

Evenings will consist of science lectures by WVU faculty and trips to the Mountainlair student union and Student Recreation Center.

All of these activitiesplus living in Stalnaker Hall, WVU s honors residence hallwill keep participants busy from about 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day.

Both sessions will culminate with final project poster presentations from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, July 15, and Friday, July 29, in the Stalnaker Hall dining annex. The public is welcome to attend.

WVU hosted the first Governors School for Math and Science in 2002. The summer program is supported by the Department of Education and the Arts, West Virginia Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research and host institutions.

To be considered for the program, students must be residents of West Virginia and demonstrate a strong aptitude for math and science.

Below is a list of 2005 participants, along with their counties and schools:

Rising Eighth Graders

  • *July 6-15

    Student
    County
    School Jacob Sandridge
    Barbour
    Kasson Amanda Baker
    Berkeley
    Hedgesville Middle Hilary Brownstead
    Cabell
    Cammack Middle Amy Holly
    Fayette
    Fayetteville Middle Jonathan Stewart
    Fayette
    Collins Middle Jessica McCollum
    Gilmer
    Gilmer County Levi Woodzell
    Greenbrier
    Eastern Greenbrier Jonathan Allen
    Hampshire
    Romney Middle Nathan Mickinac
    Hancock
    Oak Glen Middle Jacqueline Riggleman
    Hardy
    Moorefield Middle John Morgan
    Kanawha
    Sissonville Middle Bayan Misaghi
    Kanawha
    John Adams Middle Matthew Hibbs
    Marion
    Miller Junior High Anna Mituzas
    Marshall
    Sherrard Jr. High Evan Thomas
    Mercer
    Princeton Middle Cameron Morgan
    Mercer
    Bluefield Middle Kimberly Smith
    Mingo
    Williamson Middle Duran Mohler
    Monroe
    Peterstown Middle Daniel Herman
    Ohio
    Bridge Street Middle Stephanie Wood
    Pendleton
    Pendleton County Middle Michael OConnor
    Preston
    East Preston Lauren Weittenhiller
    Putnam
    Winfield Middle Christian Martine
    Raleigh
    Shady Spring Middle Robin Nichols
    Ritchie
    Ritchie County Middle Breanna Mathewson
    Roane
    Spencer Middle Antonio Petrarca
    Summers
    Summers Middle Micala Myers
    Taylor
    Taylor County Middle Christine Keplinger
    Tyler
    Tyler Consolidated Kerrin Hensley
    Wood
    Jackson Jr. High Stacy Simon
    Wood
    Edison Jr. Highp. Rising Ninth Graders

July 17-29

Student
County
School Chad Booth
Barbour
Belington Middle Lauren Taylor
Berkeley
Martinsburg South Middle Caleb Adams
Boone
Sherman Jr. High Kayla Rose
Braxton
Braxton County Middle Tyler Westling
Brooke
Follansbee Middle Samuel Shideler
Cabell
Cammack Middle Anissa Holcomb
Calhoun
Calhoun County Middle Ryan Rosiek
Fayette
Nuttall Middle Michelle Lemani
Gilmer
Gilmer County Shaina Wichael
Grant
Petersburg High Ben Williams
Hampshire
Romney Middle Brett Floyd
Harrison
Gore Middle Trey Rottgen
Jackson
Ravenswood Middle Mark Guiney
Jefferson
Harpers Ferry Middle Lesley Cruickshank
Kanawha
Sissonville Middle Lindsay Hay
Kanawha
Sissonville Middle Rachel James
Lewis
Robert Bland Middle Justin Coburn
Lincoln
Hamlin Andrew Ellis
Logan
Chapmanville Middle Amanda Pratt
Mineral
Frankfort Middle Amanda Pollard
Monongalia
Suncrest Middle Brian Chen
Monongalia
Cheat Lake Middle Thomas Mitchell
Ohio
Warwood School John Gibb
Pocahontas
Marlinton Middle Tammy Brenwalt
Randolph
Tygarts Valley Middle Marriah Ellington
Taylor
Taylor County Middle Heather Eve
Tucker
Tucker Valley Middle Thomas Standiford
Wetzel
New Martinsville Sara Hardman
Wood
Parkersburg Catholic Melissa Hargis
Wyoming
Pineville Middle