July 8, 2004 – Summer took a salty turn in early July for the 48 V.I. high school students enrolled in the 2004 Summer Science Enrichment Academy on the St. Thomas campus of the University of the Virgin Islands.
In a break from classroom sessions and land-bound field trips, the students took the UVI research vessel Willy Mac II on beach cleanup trips on July 1 and 8 to nearby Perseverance Bay. The students collected more than 1,000 pounds of trash and debris from the beach.
Academy coordinator Adam Quandt explained that the program, which runs from June 14 through July 23, exposes the youngsters to "a lot of new and exciting opportunities. It offers a taste of college life and gives them a chance to make new friends from throughout the territory. They also get exposed to a very wide variety of medical and science professions."
For some of the students the beach trip included a chance to pilot the boat; others got a rare dip in the ocean. "We actually got everyone in the water," Quandt said. "The kids get very excited about these types of trips."
The Summer Science Academy will conclude with a public poster presentation at 6 p.m. on July 22, at a venue to be announced later. Posters will be used to depict the results of various scientific projects undertaken by the students working in small groups.
UVI's Summer Science Enrichment Academy is made possible by grants provided by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Health and Human Services Department's Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Jones-Holloway-Bryan Foundation. For more information contact Quandt at 693-1297.
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