| Student Chosen for Trip |
Jessena Schultze, Pittsburg High School junior and daughter of Bob and Lyn Schultze, will join this summer's Earth Watch Institute's Student Challenge Awards Program. She is one of 80 students from 31 states selected from a pool of 30 applicants. Schultze was nominated for the program by Jim Foresman, her PHS anatomy and physiology instructor, and completed an extensive application process. She will join a team of five other award winners on a two-week research project on St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. The project, "Ecology of Caribbean Termites," led by Dr. Claire A. Fuller, professor at Murray State University, will focus on the impact of the physical environment on termite immunity and the microbial community. The research and project activities developed by principal investigators, Fuller and Mariella Postava-Davignon, will expose students to important scientific questions and methodologies. Schultze's worksite will be at the Virgin Island Environmental Resource Station, St. John, a facility of the University of the Virgin Islands, located in the Virgin Islands National Park on the remote south side of the island. Almost two-thirds of the island's 19 square miles are protected as national park land. The area is mountainous and typically humid with temperatures in the mid-90s. Students may hike three to five miles a day on hilly terrain carrying packs and equipment. They are expected to "rough it" by living in the research field environment. However, they will also be able to lunch on the beach and have a chance to snorkel through beautiful Caribbean reefs. Schultze said that she believes she is up to the challenge. "I am still surprised that I actually won the award," she said. "My surprise is turning into excitement the more I think about it, and I really expect the experience to be one I won't forget." The Student Challenge Awards Program has broad personal and educational benefits for the awardees. Impacts on recipients may range from heightened self-confidence and interpersonal skills to enhanced scientific knowledge and interest in career paths that may not have been previously considered. Most importantly, the program demystifies science and reflects the role of creativity and imagination in research. "I think the Earthwatch program will be a fantastic opportunity for Jessena to work in the area of field biology," Foresman said. "It is invaluable for students to experience science beyond the classroom, and this promises to be quite an experience. Jessena is very deserving of this opportunity, and I know she will make the most of the field study. Of course, she will be encouraged to share her work with other PHS students in the fall when we resume school." Each Earthwatch award covers all travel and field costs. In order to apply for this program, students 16 and older must be nominated by a teacher. Anyone wishing additional information regarding the program, or details about teacher fellowships and volunteer opportunities, may visit www.earthwatch.org or call 800-776-0188. Earthwatch is a nonprofit organization founded in 1971. Earthwatch engages people worldwide in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment. The Morning Sun, (www.morningsun.net)
April 10, 2006 |
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