The following district directors have submitted news items for NCSTA members:

• District 2
• District 3
• District 4
• District 5
• District 6
• District 8

Not sure which district you are in? Check out the district map at the bottom of this page.
Have news to share? Email your District Director!

News From District 2
Director: Barbara Stroud

District 2 has been busy with a variety of activities. Several counties, Craven, Duplin, Greene, Jones, Onslow, Sampson, and Wayne County are involved. The North Carolina Partnership for Improving Mathematics and Science (NC-PMS), is a regional collaborative partnership initiative, supported by the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Education. The purpose is to improve the quality of K-12 mathematics and science education through the professional development of teachers using a variety of methods. These efforts, ultimately, will lead to improved mathematics and science achievement of all students and to closing the achievement gap.

Teachers have focused on "Science for All". Educators are continuing to promote inquiry-based lessons. They are seeking innovative ways to provide expanded science offerings in their three high schools. This year, through a grant, Pender were able to send two new schools to participate in NC Science Olympiad. In addition, one more school participated in the Regional Science Fair.One of the high schools is participating in a community service project that involves the pairing of first and second graders with AP Environmental students. The purpose of this is to teach earth environmental stewardship and to assist elementary students in making responsible decisions in the use of natural resources. Eventually this program will be implemented in the other two high schools and their respective feeder elementary schools. New

Glenda Hemphill and Melissa Ciamillo, 2nd grade teachers at Parsley Elementary are teaching a life cycles unit that consists of the hatching of chicken eggs. This is a project in conjunction with the 4-H Youth Extension Service who provided the incubators and eggs. The students will watch and observe the cycle. After the chicks hatch, the 4-H center will take the chicks to a farm that will care for them.

Congratulations to Karen Shafer, the North Carolina Science Leadership Association (NCSLA) newly elected president. Karen Shafer is the Director of the UNCW Science & Mathematics Education Center. The installation ceremony took place on April 29, 2004 at the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill.

The Science and Mathematics Education Center hosted The 2004 Southeast Regional Science Fair at UNCW's Trask Coliseum this past Saturday, March 27. Dr. Rosemary DePaolo, UNCW’s new chancellor, presented the following awards to student scientists from public and private schools in Brunswick, Clinton City, Duplin, Greene, Lenoir, New Hanover, Onslow, Pender, and Sampson counties.

• Finalists in the Elementary Exemplary Award Category: Mackensie Pless and Brian Atack (Brunswick); Michael Black, Joshua Smith & Taylor Spell (Sampson); Emily D. Wilson, Trenten Dumas, Margaret Raney, and Jackson David (New Hanover).
• Junior Biological Science Awards: 1st Place: Spencer Wilson (New Hanover); 2nd: Tyler Cheyney (Brunswick); and 3rd: Kristen Parker (Onslow).
• Junior Earth Science Awards: 1st Place: Dylan Edwards (Brunswick); 2nd: Ruthie Anne Lile (New Hanover); and 3rd: Marie Olson (New Hanover).
• Junior Physical Science Awards: 1st Place: Russell Hurst (Brunswick); 2nd: John Canuette (Duplin); and 3rd: Robert Clemmons (Brunswick).
• Junior Technology Awards: 1st Place: Anna Cannady and Carrie Sanderson (Harrells Christian Academy); Grant Morine (New Hanover); and 3rd: Stephen Eaddy (Myrtle Grove Christian School).
• Senior Biological Science Awards: 1st Place: Andrew Rast (Wilmington Christian Academy); 2nd: Ashley Noble (Wilmington Christian Academy); and 3rd: Curtis Benton, Jr. (Harrells Christian Academy).
• Senior Earth Science Awards: 1st Place: Athena Moore (Sampson); 2nd: Thomas Perry (Brunswick); and 3rd: Carly Kathleen Hanson (Wilmington Christian Academy).
• Senior Physical Science Awards: 1st Place: Ashley McGuire (Wilmington Christian Academy); 2nd: William Vaught (Harrells Christian Academy); and 3rd: Brianna Stough (Wilmington Christian Academy).
• Senior Technology Awards: 1st Place: Corey Barnhill (Harrells Christian Academy); and 2nd place: Kendi Barnhill (Harrells Christian Academy).
• Best in Fair Awards went to: Brian Atack (Brunswick) in the Elementary Division; Russell Hurst (Brunswick) in the Junior Division; and Corey Barnhill (Harrells Christian Academy) in the Senior Division.
• Additional awards included the " Wayne Hanson Best in Fair " Award for engineering presented to John Canuette for his project on Magnetic Levitation; the American Meteorological Society awards to Andrew Rast, Thomas Perry, Ruthie Anne Lile, and Gabrielle Wooley. The NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher presented awards to Dylan Edwards, Edmund Poliks, and Anna Carpenter.

Science teacher Laura Fleming at Jones Sr. High, took 11 students to the Chemathon competition at ECU on March 26th. The students are looking forward to participating next year.
Congratulations to Jessica Myers, Yahshanna Scott, and Melanie Smith who were the school winners at Jones Sr. for the NCDNR Muddy Water Essay Competition.
AP Environmental Science is being taught at Jones Sr. this year. Although this is not a big deal in larger schools, this is the first year that any AP class has been offered in the district.
At Comfort Elementary, the students participated in a “Science Day: Fun in Flight.” The students designed and experimented with their custom made airplanes. Students flew their paper planes for distance, stunts, and precision flights. Students at the elementary school have also been involved with the Soil and Water contest.

At A.W. Edwards Elementary School, 5th graders in Mrs. Baylis and Mrs. Salter’s classes have been going to Slocum Creek. They have been testing the water for dissolved oxygen, pH, and salinity. This is a great activity to continue and add to the data bank being created across the state.

Lenoir Community College hosted the Science Olympiad competition for Region 2. Richy and Barry Huneycutt did an excellent job organizing the events of the day. Philip Dail was on hand for support and encouragement. In C Division, Greene Central High School won 1st place and Croatan High School (Carteret County) won 2nd place. In Division B, Smyrna Elementary(Carteret County) won 1st place and West Craven Middle won 2nd place. All four teams advanced to the state competition.
Parrott Academy in Lenoir County won first place in Division B at the state competition held April 23-24 at NCSU in Raleigh. Congratulations!!!!!

Greene Central High School students, under the leadership of Sue Walmsley, science teacher, has been working diligently in an after school program to promote inquiry learning. Students are involved in hands on activities that are centered around Science Olympiad events.
Congratulations to Sue Walmsley who was presented with the Greene County Science Agriculture Teacher of the Year Award by Farm Bureau. She designed an inquiry activity that integrated biology and agriculture. Students collected and analyzed soil samples to determine what type of cash crops would grow best in the area.

Congratulations go to Spring Creek High School! It became the first school in North Carolina to induct students into the Science National Honor Society, which recognizes scholastic excellence in the area of science. Joyce Best is the advisor of the chapter.
At Eastern Wayne High School, Amy Strickland-Rouse received a grant to implement a program entitled, “Science Alive: You and the Environment.” Earth environmental students worked with 2nd and 5th graders to study water quality. The students will gain a better understanding of why we need to protect our ground water.
Congratulations to the TSA team. Jessica McCullen and Daniel Mcknight received first place ribbons and Joey Burridge was elected State High School Representative. The advisor is Dr. Ralph Smith, chemistry teacher.

Pamlico County High School is participating in a program called “Channel 12 net live.” Channel 12(New Bern) sent a complete weather station that records air pressure, temperature, precipitation, wind speed, etc. Data are reported on the news each newscast and are updated throughout the day on the Channel 12 web site. Many locals visit the web site throughout the day. The school gets lots of calls if the school net is not reporting due to technical problems.
Recently Alison Bennett, science teacher, took her Honors Earth Science and Honors Biology classes to complete a coastal study at Cape Lookout. Before the trip Ms. Bennett had the students think of three questions about Cape Lookout, the ocean, sound, etc. One question could be researched, but for the other two they had to design an experiment. One group’s experiment used the shadow and height of the lighthouse to determine the angle of the sun. Other examples of group projects were tidal studies, a species count on the beach, water testing, and calculating the percentage of the minerals in sand. Students will eventually graph and report their data. The science club (under the leadership of Mrs. Christine Wayne and Ms. Bennett) will soon begin an oyster project with the local community college and the Rotary Club of Oriental, NC. Students will help lay marl down in creek beds so juvenile oysters can attach and start new bars.

East Carteret High School Ocean Sciences team competed at the National Ocean Sciences Bowl in Charleston,S.C., April 24-26. On May 11 the Carteret County Board will honor the five-member team (Emmett Keeler, Amanda Lewis, Kayla Lewis, Maya Lovelace, and Barrett Snipes) and their coach, Barbara Waters. The school's Ocean Sciences Bowl Team placed second in the Blue Heron Bowl, the North Carolina regional competition, held at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington on February 28. The 5-member team from East Carteret High School defeated 10 other teams to place second.
At the National Ocean Sciences Bowl competition, East Carteret High School students will face off with 23 other schools as they compete for the top honors. The top four teams and their coaches in the national competition receive trips. The first place team receives a 10-day trip to Hawaii for each team member and the coach. Second place honors provide for an 8-day trip to the Florida Keys.

The National Ocean Sciences Bowl is an academic competition for high school students focusing on ocean-related science, technology, history and navigation. Matches consist of two timed, written team challenge questions and a rapid-fire question and answer segment. Preliminary matches are round robin and final matches are double elimination. According to Mrs. Waters, the National Ocean Sciences Bowl is an education program developed to stimulate interest in the ocean sciences among high school students. The program aims to foster the next generation of scientists, educators and policy makers for the ocean sciences. The program is organized by the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education.

News From District 3
Director: Manley Midgett

Nominatons: It’s time to nominate those folks who have distinguished themselves as outstanding science teachers or have provided great service toward furthering the science education of our children. Please go to the home page for NCSTA and download the forms to nominate someone from District 3 for one of these awards. There are many science educators in our district who deserve recognition for their contributions. If you are considering someone, but are too busy to gather all of the letters and documentation, please contact me and I will help you. My office telephone number is 919-760-8788 and my email address is: midgettm@meredith.edu .
We definitely need a nomination for the “Outstanding Science Teacher” for District 3. you can also nominate someone for one of the “Distinguished Service” awards in the areas of Elementary Science, Middle School Science, High School Science, Administration/Supervision-Science, Commercial-Science, and Non-School Setting Science.

Science Olympiad Congratulations: Be sure to offer your congratulations to the students and teachers at two high schools in our district for finishing first and second place at the NC. State Science Olympiad on April 23-24. These teams won the rights to represent North Carolina at the National Science Olympiad on May 22 at Juniata College in Pennsylvania. Raleigh Charter High was first place in the state and Durham Academy finished second place. Cardinal Gibbons High finished 10th overall, with Green Hope High finishing 14th and Enloe was 18th. Many students across District 3 won medals at the competition. In the middle school division, Carnage Middle placed 6th, Our Lady of Lourdes was 8th, Leesville Road Middle was 9th, Dillard Drive was 18th, Elm City Middle placed 19th and Toisnot Middle was 20th in the state. Several local students from these schools won medals in the competition.

State Science Fair: Several local students did very well at the NC. State Science Fair at Meredith College on April 30th. Please congratulate these students and their science teachers for the great amount of work that goes into an award-winning science fair project. Nora Gardner at Washington GT Elem. in Raleigh and Micah Khater at York Elem. in Raleigh conducted project that were awarded Exemplary status at the science fair. Kathleen Bottomley, from Combs Elem., received Honorable Mention for her project. Ann Dietrich and Ashley Kirby, from Centennial Campus MS, took 3rd Place in the Junior Biological Science Division. Melissa Lantzer , from Wake Forest MS took 3rd Place in the Junior Physical Science Division and Kaitlyn Averette of Cedar Creek MS received Honorable Mention in the Junior Technology Category.

In the Senior Division, Ryan Neely III, of the NC School of Science & Math, won 1st Place in the Physical Science Category and Darrell Shotwell, from Webb HS took 3rd Place in the Technology Category.

Call for Presentation: This fall the annual NCSTA Leadership Conference will focus on Elementary School Science. With new state science standards, textbook adoptions, and the promise by “No child Left Behind” to bring science testing back to the elementary level, it is very important that elementary science teachers across the state let other teachers know ways that they are planning to prepare for these changes and challenges. Please share some of the great things that you are doing in your classroom to help your students to prepare for life’s challenges. You can download the presenters’ form for the conference at the NCSTA homepage or if you would like to discuss what you are doing with me please call or email me. I will be glad to talk you into presenting at the conference. Some districts are more likely to let a teacher attend if the teacher is presenting. Please join us in November!

Announcement: The Contemporary Science Center is offering a summer science camp at Cary Academy in July entitled “Entrepreneurs in Science”. The camp is for 8th-12th grades, ages 13-18. This is a great opportunity! For more information go to: www.contemporarysciencecenter.org/pages/3/index.htm .If science teachers, supervisors, or other science educators in District 3 have news that they would like to add to future newsletters, please contact Manley Midgett at 919-760-8788 or midgettm@meredith.edu .

News From District 4
Director: Greg Antolak

Hello from your District 4 Director. I would like to start my first newsletter with a brief introduction of myself. I teach Chemistry and Physics at Jack Britt High School in Cumberland County. I was a lateral entry teacher beginning in 2000, and completed my requirements for certification through the NCTeach program at UNC Pembroke. Prior to entering the teaching field I was a naval officer, spending most of my career on the west coast prior to transferring to Ft. Bragg and eventually retiring in November 2000. I chose the education profession as my second career because I felt the tools I learned in the military could be applied to the classroom and I wanted to make an impact on the youth of today. I watched my better half, Diane, work in the classroom and eventually in administration over 25+ years. I observed the satisfaction she received from the successes she experienced. Today, she is the principal at Reid Ross Classical School in Cumberland County and she continues to face each day as if it were her first day in the classroom.

Now that I have introduced myself to you, it is your turn to introduce yourself to me! This space is an opportunity for you to share experiences, successes, news, upcoming events, and to toot your horn if you want to. There are almost 200 NCSTA members in District 4 and I have heard from very few of you. I am attempting to put together a master listserv for email addresses from the district, but it has proven to be very time consuming. Please email me any questions, concerns, news, or just “a howdy” if you want to gregoryantolak@ccs.k12.nc.us or biggbuckz@aol.com (I am an avid fisherman and hunter!).

NC-PIMS is coming to a staff development session near you soon! Some of you may have heard about this new partnership initiative, but many of you may be asking what is NC-PIMS? NC-PIMS is the North Carolina Partnership for Improving Mathematics and Science. The partnership currently consists of 17 county school districts (most of them coming from the District 4 area) in eastern North Carolina, the University of North Carolina, the North Carolina Mathematics and Science Education Network, the NC Department of Public Instruction, NCSU, UNCW, UNCP, UNCG, ECU, FSU, and the NC Community College system. The goal of the project is to improve student achievement in science and mathematics, while simultaneously closing the achievement gap between ethnic and racial populations. Three strategic areas will be targeted. The first is the professional development of teachers, the second is student encouragement through parental and community activities, and the third is policy and leadership at the state and district levels. Training of your county lead teachers will begin this spring and you will begin to see them in staff development opportunities beginning in the fall. The partnership is offering training to all teachers during the summer. For more information on the partnership, your involvement, and education opportunities visit the NC-PIMS website at www.ncpims.org.

Did you complete Governor Easley’s 2004 North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey? If you didn’t, shame on you! Remember, the only way to be heard is to stand up and speak. Opportunities like this survey are important, allowing teachers and administrators the chance to let the boss know what is happening at the deck plate level. The survey results are scheduled to be available for review at www.governor.state.nc.us/ beginning June 1st.

SAS inSchool + NC announces the June release of Curriculum Pathways 2005. If you haven’t visited the SAS inSchool website yet please put it on your “must do list.” SAS inSchools is funded through a gift from the Bank of America Foundation in cooperation with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. The program was first made available to NC teachers in August 2003 and has proven to be a valuable teaching / learning resource for the classroom. If you haven’t taken the opportunity to research this free resource, please take the time this summer to find out what is available. The site provides a web-based curriculum resource for grades 8-12. Challenge your students by having them engage in dynamic online learning activities at home or in the classroom. Products available include: InterActivities, web inquiries, lesson plans, and over 500 teacher evaluated web-sites by topic. Free and useful is good!

Congratulations to all 2004 Science Olympiad participants! The regional competition results are posted and available at www.tx.ncsu.edu/science_olympiad/. Cumberland County was successful in qualifying eight teams for the state competition: 71st Classical Middle School, Max Abbott Middle School, John Griffin Middle School, Pine Forest Middle School, Terry Sanford High School, Massey Hill Classical School, Reid Ross Classical School and Jack Britt High School. Good luck to all state qualifiers in the State Tournament, April 23rd and 24th.

This is where your news belongs! Please email me as events occur and I will make sure you and your peers see them here in the future! I look forward to hearing from you all soon. Have a great spring and enjoy the summer - it is just around the corner!

News From District 5
Director: Darlene Ryan

Winston-Salem Forsyth Schools are in the third year of a National Science Foundation grant which they name SCIMAX. The grant supports training for elementary teachers in units from Science and Technology for Children (inquiry-based science kits) and Investigations (math hands-on instruction). Training is 30 contact hours. The system administers the Stanford 9 each year to see how the students are progressing.

Chatham County Schools has partnered with TASC (Teachers and Scientists Collaborating) this year to begin hands-on, inquiry-based instruction and build a leadership component in the school system. Student and teacher surveys were completed to determine the effectiveness of the instructional program. Several teachers prepared multiple-choice EOG type assessments aligned with the unit of study and compared the results with the same type of assessments after textbook instruction. The results after the kit-based instruction were significantly better than the textbook.

Burlington-Alamance Schools are also a partner in the TASC program. About half of the system’s schools are participating. Ann Smith a fifth grade teacher explained that it was one of the best learning experiences she has had as a professional. She used a part of the teaching experience as a submission for her National Board portfolio.

TASC has held receptions to show appreciation to the teachers participating in their program. The North Carolina Science, Math, and Technology Education Center also supported this appreciation effort. NCSMT coordinates the interaction of scientists with the training and support given teachers through the TASC program. Teachers from Orange, Chatham, Alamance-Burlington are involved in the TASC partnership.

The National Science Education Leadership Association and Kendall Hunt Publishing Company recognized Superintendent Dr. Larry Mabe (Chatham County Schools) with the Administrator Supporting Science Award at the National Science Teacher Association Convention in Atlanta, GA on Friday evening, April 2. Dr. Mabe is the first recipient of what will be an annual award. (Pictured to the left).

News From District 6
Director: Debbie Michael

It’s hard to believe that the school year is almost over! By the time you read this, school will be winding down. Please take advantage of staff development opportunities during this summer. This is how we recharge our batteries, learn new skills, and improve our craft.

Congratulations to Karen Newsom of East Lincoln High School in Denver, NC. Her students competed in the Envirothon and placed second in the environmental regional competition at Catawba College. Way to go East Lincoln!

District 6 was well represented at the 2004 NC Junior Science and Humanities Symposium. This was held on the campus of UNC Charlotte and was a wonderful experience for the high school students attending. North Lincoln High School sent four students as observers and the Pre-College Program from UNC Charlotte also had participants. The students toured the Blue Planet Environmental Center. This center is part of the Charlotte -Mecklenburg Utilities and has interactive exhibits showing the cycle of water. It is located in Huntersville, NC. This facility is in my “backyard” and I was not aware of it. It is certainly worth a visit!!! The students also toured the Environmental Center at Catawba College. They toured the Greenway and marveled at the design of the Environmental Center. This, too, is worth a visit! The students gave well prepared presentations and did an excellent job. Some students participated in the poster session and these posters were impressive. I would like

Students from North Lincoln High School enjoy the Blue Planet Environmental Center during the NC Junior Science and Humanities Symposium.

to see more high schools from our district participate in the symposium next year. Get your students doing research now and hope to see your there next year. Kudos to Alisa Wickliff and everyone involved in making this symposium such a huge success!!!

I hope many of you were able to participate in NSTA in Atlanta this year. I had a great time. So much to do and so little time! I know Kathy Graser, Caryn Long , and Sarah Smith were there. I hope many of you were able to go.

Caryn Long of Charlotte writes that she and her husband are moving to Mississippi so that she can work at NASA's Stennis Space Center where she will be their Explorer Schools Coordinator. Caryn was the recipient of the 2000 Presidential Awards. She recently spent a year in Washington as an Einstein Fellow working for NASA. Best of luck to you and your new baby!

I have been fortunate enough to be a co writer for several grants this year. North Lincoln High School has been awarded a Bright Ideas grant of $888.00 for water testing equipment, a Project Tomorrow grant of $800.00 for an environmental collection for the library, and $3,300 from the Lincoln County Public Education Foundation for remote response devices. We are currently making plans to develop an environmental outdoor classroom.
I am the advisor for an astronomy club. Because I participated in Teacher Leaders Research Based Science Education program in Tucson, Arizona the summer of 2000, my students were eligible to write an astronomy proposal for the Coude’ feed telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory. NOAO - the National Optical Astronomy Observatory obtained a grant to fund trips for the teacher and two students. I had three students stay after school for many, many, many days working on the project. They submitted the proposal and they won time for May 24 and 25, 2004. They will work with a research astronomer and have access to the Coude’feed telescope to take spectra of stars, relating the data to the H-R diagram. We are all excited about the upcoming trip!!!

UNC - Charlotte is offering many science workshops this summer. Please increase your tools with your students by participating in professional development offerings.

Summer Field Botany Course for High School Teachers, July 14 - July 24
This course will address some of the specific topics listed in the high school component of the Biology SCOS document. Class members will utilize the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens where we will conduct field studies on pollution biology, practice plant identification, and utilize greenhouse plants. There will be as much outdoor activity as the weather will allow, as well as classroom discussions. There will be one long day field trip to the N.C. Mountains.

Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) Workshop, Early June
GLOBE is a hands-on international environmental science and educational program that links students, teachers, and the scientific research community in an effort to learn more about the environment through student data collection and observation. GLOBE provides extensive educational materials to enrich the learning experience of participating students.

Deep Time In Geology, July 7 – July 14
This intro-level course is intended for in-service (K-12) or pre-service teachers, but other students seeking a field ex-perience with geology may also attend. One of the most perplexing concepts for students of geology is that of time. Most of us function in an anthropocentric time frame in which relevant time may be measured over a few generations. Geologic processes, however, function at several rates and over highly variable spans of sidereal time. Some processes, earthquakes and volcanoes, for example, occur within the common human time scale. Other processes, including those responsible for the major structure, composition, and evolution of the Earth and surrounding universe, require much greater periods of measured time. “Deep time” refers to this second set of processes and products that involves tens of thousands to billions of years to complete.

Down to Earth Workshop, July 20- July 21
The Down to Earth annual workshop has been held in Rowan Co., North Carolina for the past eight years. The topic changes each year covering topics from “Recycling” to “Using the Internet for Natural Resources Conservation”. Science and environmental education programs have included: Soil & Water Conservation, Stream Watch, Project Wild, Project Aquatic, Project Learning Tree, and Project Wet. Workshop participants will be certified in “Project Food, Land & People”. For more info on the FLP curriculum visit www.foodlandpeople.org.

Leopold Education Project (LEP), July 22
The LEP is an innovative, interdisciplinary, critical thinking, conservation and environmental education curriculum based on the classic writings of the renowned conservationist, Aldo Leopold. The LEP teaches about humanity's ties to the natural environment in the effort to conserve and protect the earth's natural resources. The goal of LEP is to give 6th through 12th grade teachers tools to help students develop responsible environmental values on their own.

Geology in the Field
In the past, participants in this or similar courses have included students working on master’s degrees in education, teachers seeking certification or recertification, in-service teachers anticipating assumption of an earth sciences or geology course, pre-service education majors, and other students simply interested in geology. It is specifically designed to give participants experience with observation, collection, analysis, representation, and interpretation of data relevant to geology and related earth sciences.

Modeling Physics Instruction Workshop, July 5 – July 23
Modeling Physics Instruction was developed at Arizona State University by Davis Hestenes and collaborators since 1980. It is supported by NSF grants and is dedicated to research-based reform of physics instruction at all grade levels. It also provides sustained professional growth and support for physics teachers. Teachers who complete the course are trained to use modeling cycles, student collaboration, and evaluation of data as tools to better physics instruction.

Summer Hydrogeology course for High School Teachers
This course will address some of the specific topics listed in the high school component of the Environmental Science SCOS document. Specifically, the class will surface water discharges, storage and movement of groundwater and causes and of natural and manmade contamination.

Geogrophic Information System
An overview of GIS in many applications will be provided and it covers the fundamentals of Geogrophic Information System (GIS) technology and its application in such diverse fields a planning, marketing, criminal justice, health, political science, natural resources and engineering. Students will learn the processes to collect, organize, analyze and display geogrophic data obtained from the resources as address geocoding, GPS, CD_ROM and world wide websites, however, the emphasis of the course will be on data preparation, analysis and presentation.

CSI: Classroom Science Investigations, July 6- July 8
Course Goal: Your team of CSI’s will collect crime scene evidence, learn the techniques to process evidence, process the evidence, and testify to a grand jury. The Grand jury will determine if your team has enough evidence of a convincing nature to proceed with a trial.

Registration can be done on-line at www.cmste.uncc.edu/summercmste for all the above mentioned courses

I wish everyone a restful summer. Please send me your news so I can share it in this column. I think we need to know all the exciting science activities that are going on in your schools and celebrate successes! Reach for the stars!
Debbie Michael

News From District 8
Director: Kyle Carver

Many thanks to Judy Beck and her 100 plus volunteers for hosting the Region Nine Science Olympiad Competition. The event was well organized as Ms. Beck usually does. Congratulations to the competition winners:

High School Division
First Place: A.C. Reynolds
Second Place: Polk County
Third Place: Carolina Day

Middle School Division
First Place: A.C. Reynolds
Second Place: Harris
Third Place: Polk Central

Many exciting activities have been taking place in the classrooms of District 8. The following is an example of one by Mr. Tom Savage of Chase High School.

From the Ice Fields to the Classroom

Larry Musarra holding the glacier ice sample. Mendenhall Glacier is in the background.
Photo courtesy Juneau Empire.

During the fall of 2003, students at Chase High School, Rutherford County, NC received a 50 pound sample of the Mendenhall Glacier. The sample was harvested by Mr. Larry Mussara, who works in the Tongass National Forest as the Director of the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, near Juneau, Alaska. The sample of glacier ice has been used for a variety of Earth Science and Biology investigations. Projects have included dissolved oxygen content and ice density comparisons. Detection of ions such as chlorine, sodium and sulfate ions are planned for this spring. Students will learn how these elements are important in interpreting historic climates.

In February, the Advanced Placement biology class under the direction of Mr. Thomas Crawford, spent an afternoon with Dr. Shawn O‚Connell at Western Carolina University. Dr. O‚Connell‚s specialty is extraction of archael bacteria from „difficult‰ areas. Students learned aseptic techniques for proper extraction and obtained a variety of low growth mediums. Students are attempting to grow pollen spores that may have survived hundreds of years in the ice and identify them through the use of DNA extraction.