Ptioios by LayU Ciamis
Researcher Mingxia Liu demonstrates a technique in the molecular pathology lab
for Sabrina Sims (foreground) and fellow SciTech participants.
Camp immerses
students in science
BY LAYLA GARMS
THE CHRONICLE
Johnson
Garcia
SciTech participants Maya Grimes (left) and Kay la
Sandiford.
Caleb Pledger
' Akshat Dixit
J are I Henry
Twelve year-old
Akshat Dixit dreams of
becoming an engineer or
computer scientist.
Akshat, a rising
eighth grader at Hanes
Middle School, and near
ly 100 of his peers are
getting a closer look at
those and other STEM
(science, engineering,
technology, math) careers
this summer through the
SciTech Camp.
"This is my first time
(at the camp). It's been
really fun," said Akshat.
"We've been to a lot of
exciting places like
SciWorks, and we got to
work with lots of robotics
and lots of chemistry and
math. I've made a lot of
friends, too."
Born of a partnership
between Winston-Salem
State University and
Wake Forest University's
Innovation Quarter (for
merly Piedmont Triad
Research Park), SciTech
has grown fourfold from
its initial attendance of
25 students in 2006. The
camp is designed to
expose students in sixth
through 10th grades to
the many high-tech
careers Winston-Salem
has to offer, explained Dr.
Denise Johnson, associ
ate professor of education
at WSSU and director of
the program.
"We really want kids
to know that
there's a place
for them in the
Winston
Salem econo
my and that
their math and
science skills
will be used in
their careers,"
said the
Lexington
native.
The week
long program,
which ran June
24-28, is sup
ported by
sponsors and
offered to stu
dents for a
nominal fee of
$10, Johnson
said. One of
the camp's
cniel oDjec
tives is to reach underrep
resented youth who
might not traditionally
have access to summer
enrichment programs, she
explained. Camp leaders
worked closely with Big
Brothers/Big Sisters and
the Housing Authority to
identify potential partici
pants, in addition to
advertising the program
to the broader communi
ty. The result was a group
of campers from a broad
cross-section of the
socioeconomic spectrum.
Caleb Pledger, a ris
ing eighth grader at
Summit School, hopes to
become a doctor or den
tist someday. Caleb, the
third of four children and
a member of the math
club at his school,
described SciTech as
"wonderful."
"I'm really into math,
so it's teaching me more
algebraic equations and
variables," he said.
The students visited
the IQ (Innovation
Quarter) last week, where
they learned about
molecular pathology
(which focuses on the
study and diagnosis of
disease through the
examination of molecules
within organs, tissues or
bodily fluids) and heard
from IQ President Dr.
Eric Tomlinson. Over the
course of the week, they
designed rockets and
wind turbines, participat
ed in lab experi
ments, and
honed their
math and sci
ence skills.,
K a y 1 a
Sandiford said
she enjoyed the
active approach
the camp cur
riculum took to
learning.
"It's been
good," said the
Paisley IB
Magnet School
student. "They
don't make you
sit through lec
tures. It's all
very hands-on."
The students
took field trips
to SciWorks,
r\nr
Minds animation studio
in Winston-Salem, NC
State University, the
Downtown Health Plaza,
Guilford Technical
Community College and
Duke Energy's Belews
Creek Stream Station.
"I hope that they'll
appreciate science and
enjoy it more," said
WSSU alumnus Bobby
Garcia, the science coor
dinator for the camp.
"Hopefully, they'll see
that science is really fun
and it's a part of every
thing."
The SciWorks trip
was a highlight for Maya
Grimes, 13.
"I like that they made
math and science fun and
not boring," said Maya, a
student at Southeast
Middle School and aspir
ing dentist who is in her
second year with the
camp. "...I think every
year it gets better because
you do different things
and you learn new
things."
Thirteen year-old
Jarel Henry heard about
SciTech^from his older
brother, Devin, who
attended a couple of
years ago. and said he
was eager to experience it
for himself. Jarel, who
hopes to become an
entrepreneur someday,
said the camp did not dis
appoint.
"It's been more than
my expectations. I've
learned many things. I
learned how to graph and
how to work through
slope and the Held trips
are very fun also," said
Jarel, a two sport athlete.
"I would recommend it to
other kids. If you want to
have fun and meet new
people and learn new
things, you should
come."
SciTech will host
camps over Winston
Salem/Forsyth County
Schools' fall and spring
breaks during the 2013
14 school year. For more
information. contact
Johnson at 336-750-2708
or johnsondt@wssu.edu.
The Chronicle (USPS 067-910) was established by Emest
H. Pitt and Ndubisi Egemonye in 1974 and is published
every Thursday by Winston-Salem Chronicle Publishing
Co. Inc., 617 N. Liberty Street, Winston-Salem, N.C.
* 27101. Periodicals postage paid at Winston-Salem, N.C.
Annual subscription price is $30.72.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:
The Chronicle, P.O. Box 1636
Winston-Salem, NC 27102-1636
J The Centennial e-Shop i
Commemoratives to remember the
only centennial well ever have! }
^V^SfWtic* timiud! j
m T-shirts-$10
Centennial Tiles - J 50
Hand-made limited edition.
I
Line Art Posters - $20
Businesses, institutions, and iconic
properties in the Twin City.
'J History DVDs -$20
Merger. Making the Twin City,
Engine Four, Chasing the Clouds
M- i
WINSTON fSALEM K
mi-JOU y i \ CSMTtNNML
Shop online at W-S100years.com ,
Batten Poalt Water
Playground, 1590 Bolton St.
timbartay Part Pool i Water
Playground, 620 Burton St
727-2191
Trmm fmr
HIS? lumfNMyn jur *JOJ Uiiufi #
Ages 3-17: $2 Adults: $3
1
? RERVEST A SERVICE ? RERMT A MRSHM
? MAKE A SU6SESTI0H ? OPE* 24 NRS/7 RAYS
Call 311 op 336-727-8000
dtylinK@citgofujs.org
I
CtrCgwd *w?H
mJt mi U?T&SmiStw!S
HnMlknwWitDnhl.
MMgawry, Est Wwfc Jam Tayfar. Jr,
Soullaul Wmi City Maagv lit Barrty
FIND US ON Pmjjj ?