The fun is heating up this week for a group of Buncombe County School (BCS) students at the University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA). BCS Migrant Education Program invited close to twenty five students from sixth to twelfth grade to participate in the two week summer camp called Science on the Move.
“Students are fully immersed in a science enrichment program,” said UNCA Environmental Studies professor Dr. Irene Rossell. “We provide students with activities year round, in an attempt to try to spark their interest in science.”
The experience is paid for by a grant from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. Students and leaders of the program get together throughout the school year for science-driven field trips. Each summer the group comes together for two weeks on the UNCA campus to learn. This summer students were given the opportunity to experiment with rockets, electromagnetics, forensics, photography, video editing, and drones.
“This is my third year attending the camp,” said 10th grader Diego. “Each year we do something different, and have a lot of fun. I wish everyone had the opportunity to attend, because it’s really great.”
Organizers hope that this experience encourages the students to never stop learning. Who knows, maybe there are future UNCA colleagues in the program.
“We hope at the end of the camp that everyone walks away with a love for science.” Dr. Rossell explained. “We’ve opened our doors here at UNCA to show the students a glimpse of college life. As they continue on their educational journey they realize that college is at their fingertips.”
