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West Branch students will attend science camp
By Denise Dick
Beloit
Three West Branch students are among an elite group.
Brittany Ring, 14; Bailey Loy, 13; and Ben St. John, 12, are the only fifth- through eighth-graders in the state chosen to attend a science camp at U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Brittany is in eighth grade and Bailey in seventh at West Branch Middle School, and Ben is a fifth-grader at Beloit Elementary. The camp runs July 17-22.
“I’m so excited,” Brittany said. “It’s the opportunity of a lifetime.”
The West Branch kids are among 26 students from the Appalachian region selected to attend the camp.
At the camp, students will work with research scientists “on relevant math and scientific topics facing the world in the 21st century,” said an announcement about the camp from the Appalachian Regional Commission.
Research topics and activities cover biofuels and alternative energy, climate change, robotics and the environment.
Bailey is most looking forward to spending time away from home in a different place, and Ben is excited about all of the planned activities.
“It’s not just one thing — it’s a whole week of activities,” Ben said.
All expenses for the trip are paid.
That makes it that much more appealing.
Brittany said she’s been nominated to attend other camps during her school career, but those always came at too steep a price. She doesn’t have to worry about that this time.
She and Ben plan to fly.
“Why not? It’s paid for,” Ben reasoned.
Bailey, though, prefers to drive.
“I hate to fly,” he explained.
Kelley Warga, middle-school counselor, said the students were nominated by their teachers who had to fill out applications and write letters of recommendation.
Math teacher Rachel Kocher nominated Brittany. Bailey was nominated by his science teacher, Jackie Lyons, and Tonya Edie, also a science teacher, nominated Ben.
“If it weren’t for their teachers, none of this would be happening,” Warga said.
Both Ben and Bailey list science as their favorite school subject, while Brittany is torn between science and math.
Warga said to be nominated, students had to demonstrate strong interest in math or science and the U.S. Department of Energy wanted students who likely wouldn’t otherwise get such an opportunity, mostly because of the costs.
Though high school students from Ross County, Ohio, were chosen to attend the camp, a spokesman for the Appalachian Regional Commission said the West Branch students are the only middle-school students tapped to attend.
“This is a big accomplishment for them,” Warga said.