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During the 2002 health science meet, Jessica Heidemann, far right, of Potter, Neb., mixes soap and glue to learn a concept in science experiments, as fellow eighth-grader, Courtney Conrad, far left, of Sidney, Neb., and Mike Dixon, UNMC graduate student, watch. |
Nebraska eighth-graders are invited to compete in UNMC’s regional Health/Science Meet competitions, which will be held in March and April at six locations.
In order to compete in the regional competition, students should contact their science teachers in January. Deadline for registration forms to arrive at UNMC is mid-February. Registration for the regional competition requires students to write a short description or abstract of a specific science project of their interest. In order to compete in the regionals, students will be required to develop a posterboard display presentation of their project.
Judges will rank science projects at the regionals. Those students with the top 80 projects will be invited to attend the 2003 UNMC Health/Science Meet June 5-7 on the UNMC campus in Omaha. Those who attend the June meet will receive free meals, lodging and entertainment.
The goal of the Health/Science Meet is to provide students a fun and educational experience that will inspire them to pursue a career in the health sciences, said Dan Chambers, program coordinator of the Rural Health Education Network. The state meet provides students with the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities involving education, research and patient care.
Students should work with their science teachers to register for the regional competition. In addition, they also can get information, as well as registration forms, by contacting Dan Chambers at UNMC, (402) 559-3398 or via e-mail, dcchambers@unmc.edu.
The cities listed below will hold regional competitions:
- North Platte — Thursday, March 20, 2003, Mid Plains Community College–Belton Campus
- Grand Island — Thursday, March 27, 2003, College Park–Central Community College Campus
- Scottsbluff — Tuesday, April 1, 2003, UNMC College of Nursing West Nebraska Division
- Omaha — Saturday, April 5, 2003, UNMC Student Life Center, Omaha
- Norfolk — Wednesday, April 16, 2003, Norfolk Junior High School
- Lincoln — Saturday, April 26, 2003, UNMC College of Dentistry, Lincoln
The sponsor of the regional competition in Grand Island is the Central Nebraska Area Health Education Center (CN-AHEC), and in Norfolk, the Northern Nebraska Area Health Education Center (NN–AHEC). The centers were created through federal grants as a way in which medical schools and rural communities can cooperate to recruit and train health care professionals to serve in rural areas.
Other sponsors are: Grand Island, St. Francis Medical Center; North Platte, Keep North Platte and Lincoln County Beautiful, Mid-Plains Community College, Nebraska Junior Academy of Science; and Norfolk, Faith Regional Medical Center, and Norfolk Public Schools.