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