Twenty-four schools across Nebraska will be represented at the eighth
University of Nebraska Medical Center Health/Science Meet. The meet is
an expense-paid, three-day, educational and entertaining experience. The
meets goal is to inspire Nebraska eighth-graders, especially those from
rural communities, to pursue careers in health care.
The students competed for the meet by submitting science projects in
regional science competitions held in Scottsbluff, North Platte, Grand
Island, Lincoln and Omaha. About 255 students competed for the 60 slots
in the meet. Schools listed below will be represented.
BAYARD — Community Christian School
BLUE HILL Blue Hill High School
BRADY Brady Public School
BROKEN BOW Broken Bow Middle School
BRULE — South Platte Middle School
DAVID CITY Aquinas Middle School
EUSTIS Eustis-Farnam Junior High School
FORT CALHOUN Fort Calhoun Schools
GRAND ISLAND Walnut Middle School and Westridge Middle School
GRANT — Grant Public Schools
HYANNIS Hyannis High School
LINCOLN — Lincoln Lutheran School
MAXWELL Maxwell Public School
NELIGH — Neligh-Oakdale Public School
NORTH PLATTE — St. Patricks
OMAHA Russell Middle School
PLEASANTON Pleasanton Schools
POTTER — Potter-Dix Middle School
SCOTTSBLUFF — Bluffs Middle School and Haig School
THEDFORD — Thedford High School
VALENTINE — Valentine Middle School
WOOD RIVER — Wood River High School
The expense-paid meet exposes students to the health professions, medical
research and patient care. Events include hands-on activities, speakers
presenting information about a variety of health science disciplines and
touring UNMC’s 67-acre campus. Other activities include Chemistry and
Physics on Wheels, by the University of Nebraska at Omaha, as well as
a visit to the UNO planetarium and fun activities at Mahoney State Park.
Students also will participate in the Health/Science Bowl, a team competition
held in a TV game show style.
The meet is part of UNMCs programs to enable Nebraska to “grow its
own” health care professionals. More than half of Nebraska physicians,
pharmacists, dental professionals, nurses and other health professionals
have graduated from UNMC.
UNMC is the only public academic health science center in the state.
Through its commitment to research, education, outreach and patient care,
UNMC has established itself as one of the country’s leading centers for
cancer research and treatment, solid organ transplantation and arthritis.
During the past year, nearly $31 million in research grants and contracts
were awarded to UNMC scientists, and UNMCs funding from the National Institutes
of Health increased by 28 percent, going from $16.2 million to $20.7 million.
UNMC’s educational programs are responsible for training more health professionals
practicing in Nebraska than any other institution.