The Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) has chosen Glenville State College to host the HSTA Summer Institute 2009 for Forensics. GSC was invited to apply to be the host school. After a rigorous selection process, GSC was awarded the honor by the Joint Governing Board of HSTA. “The science building at Glenville State College provides state -of- art labs for the Health Science and Technology Academy students and teachers to do inquiry based science. This coupled with the forensics capabilities of Glenville State College made GSC a wonderful choice for the 2009 Forensics HSTA Summer Institute,” said Dr. Ann Chester, Assistant Vice President for Health Sciences for Social Justice, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, West Virginia University, and HSTA Director.
West Virginia University has established a seamless approach to health sciences education which shepherds talented minority and underrepresented students through pre-college, college, and graduate training in health sciences programs. The Health Sciences and Technology Academy of West Virginia University is a 9th-12th grade math and science program which encourages aspirations, opens doors, and empowers minority and underrepresented students and rural communities. This partnership among the numerous units of the state's land grant university and many Appalachian communities brings minority and underrepresented students and teachers to campus each summer for clinic, laboratory, and classroom training and activities. The partnership then provides the infrastructure and support for community-based science projects mentored by teachers, health professional, students, and volunteer community leaders during the school year. The goals of the program are to: provide teacher development; improve science, math, leadership skills, and knowledge of middle and high school students; increase the number of underrepresented individuals who pursue careers in health sciences, middle/secondary math and science teaching, Speech Pathology and audiology; and improve collaboration to provide resources and expertise. There are HSTA programs in twenty-six West Virginia counties.
Dr. Alison Witte, GSC Assistant Professor of Nursing, and Dr. Gary Morris, GSC Assistant Professor of Biology will be co-coordinators of the Summer Institute. GSC Assistant Professor of Science, Larry Baker and Dr. Jami Myers, GSC Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice, are also key members of the Glenville State College team that will be conducting the Summer Institute. Several other GSC faculty members from the Math and Science and Criminal Justice Departments will also be participating. “There will be dozens of high school students on campus who are interested in math, science, and health sciences, so this is a great recruiting opportunity for GSC,” said Dr. Gary Morris.
Approximately ten high school teachers will be attending the first week of the HSTA Summer Institute from July 6th-9th. Working with members of the GSC Faculty, they will receive training in techniques, concepts, and knowledge of science and forensics that they will be able to take back to their home classrooms. These teachers will also be participating in leadership and multi-cultural activities. The high school teachers and the GSC faculty members will be developing the program that they will follow for the student week of the Summer Institute.
Up to one hundred high school sophomores are expected to attend the HSTA Summer Institute for Forensics at GSC the week of July 12-17. The students will be presented with a crime scene and learn the forensic science techniques that can be used to collect evidence to solve the crime. The week will culminate in a mock trial. Plans are to use the famed Sis Linn murder as the model for the crime to be investigated and tried. “We will be basing the exercise on the Sis Linn murder but not actually recreating it,” said Dr. Alison Witte. The investigation will include a comparison of the forensic science that was available in 1919 when the Sis Linn murder occurred, and what scientific methods are available today. The students will also be exposed to leadership training, public speaking and verbalization skills, and multi-cultural activities. “We are pleased to be able to share the state-of-art facilities that we have here at Glenville State College with high school students and teachers from around West Virginia.” said Witte.
Approximately ten paid mentors will be hired to work during the student week of the HSTA Summer Institute. Interested GSC students should Contact Dr. Alison Witte or Dr. Gary Morris.
High school students that successfully complete the requirements of the HSTA program, which includes attending the Summer Institute, qualify for College Scholarships through the Health Sciences and Technology Academy. To Learn More about HSTA, visit www.wv-hsta.org.
The HSTA Summer Institute 2009 for Forensics at GSC is supported by the Health Science and Technology Academy. The content is solely the responsibility of Glenville State College and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Health Sciences and Technology Academy.
For more information about the HSTA Summer Institute 2009 for Forensics at GSC, contact Dr. Alison Witte at (304) 462-7361 ext. 7313 or Dr. Gary Morris at (304) 462-7361 ext. 7305.
