For release July 21, 2006

53 FIFTH-GRADERS ATTEND UTSI MAD SCIENCE CAMP

TULLAHOMA, Tenn. B Fifty-three rising fifth-grade “motivated and inquisitive learners” from area schools spent a week at The University of Tennessee Space Institute exploring many aspects of science.

From 8:30 a.m. till 3:30 p.m. July 17-21, the Mad Science campers tackled subjects ranging from the five senses to space, including experiments in electricity, crime scene investigations, close looks at changing states of matter, and others.

This was the second of three summer camps being held at the Space Institute for area students. First was a materials camp attended by 18 area youths, who gained first-hand experience in UTSI’s laser labs.

From July 24-Aug. 4, 16 eighth, ninth, and tenth-graders and four teachers will learn science through the use of very sophisticated computers programs. This Computation Science Camp is sponsored by UTSI’s Center for Laser Applications (CLA).

The Mad Camp youngsters came from the following Franklin County elementary schools: Broadview, (two), Clark Memorial, (six), Cowan, (four), Decherd, (nine), Good Shepherd, (four), Huntland, (two), North Lake, (two), Rock Creek, (ten), and Sewanee, (four). From Tullahoma, five came from East Lincoln, one each from Robert E. Lee and St. Paul, two from home school, and one from Murfreesboro.

Facilitators Keith Trehy and Simon Cornwell kept the students on task with activities ranging from building and launching their own rockets and creating an electric circuit to light bulbs and spin motors.

One day they built an electric car, another they experimented with dry ice and turned a nickel into a penny using electroplating, constructed a DNA kit and took fingerprints and footprints to solve a crime scene mystery. Other activities included making their own cotton candy, causing their voices to sound like robots, using deflection glasses to see a rainbow, making bouncing balls, shooting rockets.

Sponsors of the camp were UTSI and its Laser Center, Sverdrup and the ARES Corporation.

“It’s been a great week,” said Carole Thomas, Center for Laser Applications (CLA) bookkeeper and coordinator of the camp. “Parents have been telling me each morning how much their children love this camp and hope that we have future camps. This was our first attempt at a science enrichment program, and without the help of Penny Oliver, camp staffer, UTSI’s summer interns and students, it would not have gone as smoothly.”

Dr. Bill Hofmeister, CLA director, who arranged the camp, said another camp may be held this fall. Parents who are interested may call Carole Thomas at UTSI, (931) 393-7485.

Experimenting with worms are Mad Science campers, from left,Bradley Scarlett,
North Lake, Corney Thomas, Rock Creek, Samuel Wright, Bel-Aire,
Facilitator Keith Trehy, and Tanner Underwood, (Rock Creek). –UTSI Photo
 

Kayla Smith, left, Rock Creek, and Samuel Wright, Bel-Aire help Keith Trehy
with an electrical experiment.—UTSI PHOTO
 

Carole Thomas lends a helping hand to students making bouncing balls. With
her are, from left, Emilee Singer, Mathew Stephens, Maggie Martin, Megan
Davis, and Eli Carr, right. – UTSI Photo

Fifth-graders experiment with dry ice under watchful eye of Mad Camp
facilitator Keith Trehy. – UTSI Photo
 

Charles Baker and Eli Carr, facing camera, join other campers in taste-testing
various substances while learning about the five senses. - UTSI Photo

Most of the Mad Science campers gather beside Woods Reservoir after
lunch in UTSI’s cafeteria. – UTSI Photo

Writer: Weldon Payne (931) 393-7222
wpayne@utsi.edu