Frankfort, KY – Students from across the county, state and nation will further their education this summer with the help of a variety of programs from Kentucky State University.
Starting next week, several groups will be on campus.
High school teachers from across Kentucky will convene June 22 through June 25 for the annual High School Teachers’ Environmental Education Workshop, hosted by Dr. Kazi Javed, associate professor of chemistry. The five-day seminar focuses on stream ecology, and the teachers learn new methods for incorporating environmental education into their lesson plans. The group spends most of the morning each day in class learning about new techniques for teaching environmental education. In the afternoon, they do hands-on work. In the past, teachers have visited the stream behind Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles to survey the aquatic life. They also have ventured to the KSU Environmental Education Center in Henry County to study stream life and learn about the resources KSU has to offer. Teachers receive a stipend for their participation.
The Youth Entrepreneurship Program for high school students begins June 21 and runs through June 27. Students learn various business practices as they work in teams to create, launch and market a business. Throughout the week, they listen to different speakers such as accomplished entrepreneurs who are thriving in their fields or small business owners who can offer advice and warn students of the challenges of starting and owning a small, independent business. At the end of the week, the students present their business plans and also a commercial they filmed using the Land Grant Program’s multimedia equipment to a panel of judges. A winner is named in each category. Erin McCauley is the interim YEP coordinator and Gae Broadwater, a Land Grant extension specialist, oversees the program.
Two programs already in session are Land Grant’s REAP and AgDiscovery programs. REAP stands for Research and Extension Apprenticeship Program. This summer-long program partners high school students with researchers and extension specialists in the Land Grant Program. The students are paid for assisting with various projects, such as studying nutrition and helping to cultivate crops and studying the effect insects have on them. They also learn about the multimedia equipment used in the Land Grant and Aquaculture programs to film research in the field and send it via satellite all over the world. The summer program caps with a weeklong trip out of state. Dr. Kristopher Grimes directs the REAP program.
Ag Discovery began June 14 and will end June 27. It allows students to study veterinary science and how it could translate into a career in Kentucky, specifically in the horse industry, or in other areas throughout the United States. The students visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture offices, local farms, equine hospitals, Churchill Downs, the Louisville Zoo, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Salato Wildlife Education Center and a sausage factory. JoAna McCoy oversees AgDiscovery.
The four-week Summer Transportation Institute will begin June 28. Students from across Kentucky will gather to learn about careers related to transportation. In addition to visiting the Kentucky Department of Transportation, where they learn about bridge building, road construction and other engineering jobs, the students build a motor, visit the Bluegrass Airport in Lexington and take a trip out of state to learn about other transportation fields. For example, one year the group visited a NASCAR race track. One year the group went to Maryland and Washington, D.C., to learn about various modes of public transportation. Rachael Steward directs this program.
The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation Bridge Program for High School Students will run July 5 to July 25. It brings together top minority science and math scholars from Kentucky high schools to further explore their love of science. They have a mixture of classroom learning about different scientific concepts and techniques and a number of hands-on activities. The group always tours the KSU Research and Demonstration Farm and has an opportunity to fish in the farm pond. Dr. Kazi Javed coordinates this program.
Dr. Patricia Higgins will lead the annual Future Educators of America camp from July 12 to July 17. This program is a statewide initiative by the Kentucky Department of Education. It allows students from across Kentucky who are interested in a career in education to participate in a weeklong program on one of several public university campuses. The students take classes but also complete a variety of projects focused on reading, art, math and computer skills.