Iowa Middle and High Schoolers Get Hands-on Learning at ISU

AMES, Iowa -- Some 160 eighth- ninth- and tenth-graders from Iowa are gaining first-hand experience in science, math and language arts at the Early Outreach Program at Iowa State University (called EOP @ ISU) this month. The program is held for motivated minority students and ISU Educational Talent Search participants who are rising eighth, ninth, or tenth graders. Each grade level has its own weeklong program aimed at giving students a fun learning experience.

From June 12-16, tenth-graders will be designing a settlement on Mars, studying everything from technology and social studies to the arts along the way. Using the "Mars City Alpha" program from the Challenger Center for Space Science Education, students work in teams to prepare for their endeavor. It culminates in tabletop models of human habitats for Mars.

From June 19-23, ninth-graders will bake pizzas with a purpose. Using the ISU "Pizz-A-Thon" program, the students -- through their pizza ingredients -- will gain an appreciation of agriculture, develop skills and explore careers in the food and fiber industry.

From June 26-30, eighth-graders will participate in "A Crime, A Clue and Biotechnology," a program aimed at exposing students to scientific issues and concepts related to biotechnology. This program, created by ISU's Office of Biotechnology and Extension Youth and 4-H, includes fingerprinting, crime scene and evidence collection, the study of DNA and more.

EOP@ISU is a joint venture of several ISU programs, including the Institute for Physical Research and Technology's Science Bound, Minority Student Affairs, College Bound, the Department of Residence, the College of Engineering's LEAD program and Educational Talent Search.

Editors: Reporters are welcome at these events. The most visual events take place June 16, 10:00-10:45 a.m.; June 23, 10:45-11:15 a.m.; and June 27 or 28, 8:00 a.m.-noon. Please contact Robert Mills at (515) 294-1113; rmills@iastate.edu, if you would like to attend.

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