Nebraska eighth-graders are invited to compete in UNMC’s regional Health/Science Meet competition, which will be held at seven locations across Nebraska: Ainsworth, Grand Island, Lincoln, North Platte, Norfolk, Omaha and Scottsbluff.
In order to compete in the regional competition, students should contact their science teachers in January. Deadline for registration forms is early February.
To compete in the regional competition, students are required to write a short description or abstract of a science project of their interest and develop a posterboard display presentation of their project. Judges will rank science projects at the regionals.
Students with the top 80 projects will be invited to attend the 2004 UNMC Health/Science Meet June 10-12 on the UNMC campus in Omaha.
The goal of the June Health/Science Meet is to provide students a fun and educational experience that will inspire them to pursue a career in the health sciences, said Roxanna Jokela, director of the Rural Health Education Network. The state meet provides students with the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities involving education, research and patient care. Those who attend the June meet will receive free meals, lodging and entertainment.
Students should work with their science teachers to register for the regional competition. In addition, they also can get information, as well as registration forms, by contacting Jokela at UNMC at (402) 559-8946 or via e-mail, rjokela@unmc.edu.
The cities listed below will hold regional competitions:
- Ainsworth — Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2004, Ainsworth Community School; Northern Nebraska AHEC, Ainsworth Community Schools
- Grand Island-Thursday, March 18, 2004, Central Nebraska AHEC; College Park-Central Community College Campus, Saint Francis Medical Center, Central Nebraska AHEC
- Scottsbluff — Tuesday, March 16, 2004, UNMC West Division College of Nursing, UNMC West Division College of Nursing
- North Platte — Thursday, March 18, 2004, Mid-Plains Community College, Mid-Plains Community College, McDonald Belton Campus, Nebraska Junior Academy of Science, Mid-Plains Community College
- Norfolk — Monday, March 8, 2004, Lifelong Learning Center Northern Nebraska AHEC, Faith Regional Health Services, Northeast Community College
- Omaha — Saturday, April 3, 2004
- Lincoln — Saturday, April 24, 2004, College of Dentistry-UNL East Campus
The sponsor of the regional competition in Grand Island is the Central Nebraska Area Health Education Center (CN-AHEC), and in Norfolk and Ainsworth, the Northern Nebraska Area Health Education Center (NN–AHEC). The centers were created through federal grants as a way in which medical schools and rural communities can cooperate to recruit and train health care professionals to serve in rural areas.
Other sponsors are: Grand Island, St. Francis Medical Center; Mid-Plains Community College, Nebraska Junior Academy of Science; and Norfolk, Faith Regional Medical Center, and Norfolk Public Schools.