Eighth-graders invited to compete in 12th UNMC Health/Science Meet regional competitions across state

Nebraska eighth-graders are invited to compete in the University of

Nebraska Medical Centers 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 Roxanna Jokela at UNMC, (402) 559-8946

or via e-mail, rjokela@unmc.edu.

The cities listed below will hold regional competitions:

· Ainsworth — Tuesday, February 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.