MU hosts health sciences institute

HUNTINGTON -- About 180 rising ninth- and 10th-grade students from throughout West Virginia will visit Marshall University's campus Sunday-Friday, July 13-18, to take part in the Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) Summer Institute.

HSTA is an international program that is community-based and provides academic enrichment. Its goal is to increase the number of underrepresented and minority students who complete a post-secondary education in the health professions and remain in West Virginia as primary caregivers.

It is offered in 26 West Virginia counties where students participate in clubs at their high schools year-round.

The camp is intended to help students develop critical thinking skills and study skills that will help them as they advance through high school and college.

The opening ceremony and dinner for the summer institute at Marshall, which is titled "Fun With Science," is at 5 p.m. Sunday, July 13, in the Don Morris Room, located on the second floor of the Memorial Student Center.

Program director David Cartwright said the number of participating students attending "Fun With Science" is expected to double from last year's total of about 80 because rising 10th-graders are included this year. Previously, the summer program was for rising ninth-graders only.

The emphasis this year is on diabetes.

"West Virginia is the number one state for diabetes," Cartwright said in a press release from Marshall. " 'Fun With Science' will expose the students to the dangers of diabetes. They will learn different things that can be done to prevent diabetes and then be able to teach their family members what they learned."