June 18, 2004

CENTER PRESENTS X-TREME SCIENCE CAMP TO INCOMING PHILLIPSBURG FRESHMEN

(Phillipsburg, NJ) Most children their age will be sleeping late, playing outdoors, working or leisurely whittling away the summer. Next week, twenty-five highly motivated, honors students entering Phillipsburg High School in the fall will participate in the second annual X-treme Science Camp sponsored by the Weller Center of Easton, Pa. and Warren Hospital.

The camp is designed to inspire young adults to pursue their interest in science and other health-related fields. Each session will be led by a specially-trained educator from the Weller Center, all of whom hold masters-level degrees in health fields. In addition, each day Warren Hospital, which made the camp possible through a grant to the Weller Center, will send several speakers to address what it is like to work in their fields.

Each morning begins at 9 a.m. with a speaker, then through the course of the week the students will dissect pig’s hearts, use forensic science to solve a murder mystery, study the intricacies of genetics and learn to perform blood typing.

Monday begins with a lecture from Dr. Raymond Buch, the director of Warren Hospital’s Family Practice Residency Program and one of his residents. Then the students will participate in Microbial Mysteries Uncovered. They will learn how to stain samples to identify different microorganisms. They will study the human immune system and hear Alida Ammon, a registered nurse and the hospital’s Infectious Control Coordinator, speak. This day they will learn how to differentiate types of blood.

Tuesday’s subject is Pharmacological Phenomena. The morning is kicked off by Dr. Marc Abo of General Surgery. The students will learn about genetics through a marshmallow meiosis activity. They will learn about and discuss the Human Genome Project and its implications. Lawrence Bauer, the director of Pulmonary Services, will round out the day with information on the respiratory therapy field.

Wednesday begins the dissection and internal science segment. This day the students will dissect a pig’s heart and a cow’s eye. This information will then be applied to human health. Greg Snyder and Brian Brown, the director of pharmacy and the chief MRI technologist respectively, will be this day’s speakers.

Thursday is the highlight as the students become crime scene inspectors during CSE: Crime Scene Education. Students will gather samples such as fingerprints and hair specimens, learn how to collect, tag and examine them and then analyze the evidence to bring about a conviction. Exercise physiologist Kelly Hawley, Director of Pathology Dr. Howard Altman and Laboratory Technician Sandy Lower will speak to the students this day.

Friday is another day of dissection and internal science as the students dissect a sheep’s brain. The students will then tour the Warren Hospital Laboratory and Radiology areas and then celebrate their X-treme Science Camp graduation this day.

About the Weller Health Education Center

Masters-level health educators use hands-on, interactive methods to measurably improve kids’ lives by giving students the tools they need to make informed and healthy life choices. With more than 30 age-appropriate programs from kindergarten to twelfth grade, the Weller Health Education Center meets state health and science academic standards in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and serves to complement and supplement conventional classroom learning.