Students mix health, science, fun

From left: Jordyn Lechtenberg of Ainsworth, Neb., Devin Marie Jones of La Vista, Neb., and Tonnie Blount of Bellevue, Neb., participate in this year’s Health/Science Meet at UNMC.

In a UNMC pharmacy lab, three eighth-graders — Jordyn Lechtenberg, Devin Marie Jones and Tonnie Blount — conducted an experiment about the principles of drug compounding.

The result: a recipe for rubbery-textured, gummy candy.

The trio was among 58 eighth-graders from 31 schools across Nebraska to participate in UNMC’s 14th annual Health/Science Meet June 1-3.

The meet provides students with educational and fun experiences in the hopes of inspiring them, especially those from rural communities, to pursue careers in health care. Students qualified for the meet by submitting science projects in regional science competitions earlier in the year.

Megan Lovelady of Hooper, Neb., said she enjoyed the meet — especially what she learned about research. “I’m thinking about going into research to help cure cancer,” she said. “My mom had cancer and she survived it twice and two of my aunts had breast cancer.”

Blount, who wants to be a neurosurgeon, found the meet to be a good learning experience. “They’ve shown us a lot of stuff that you probably wouldn’t see anywhere else,” she said.