The Tennessean Newspaper
By Aissatou Sidime', Staff Writer
Saturday, July 15, 1995
The Tennessean Newspaper
By Aissatou Sidime', Staff Writer
Saturday, July 15, 1995
Students in Tennessee State University's Engineering Summer Academy for youngsters did what a lot of kids wanted to do in this week's 95-plus degree weather.
They took a dip in the cool Harpeth River.
But the 47 elementary and junior high school students splashed and caught tadpoles while also using math and their knowledge of aquatic animals to measure the health of the river with hydrologists from the U.S. Geological Survey.
Taking the pulse of the river is one way TSU student-teachers introduce the children to math and biology during the five-week summer institute that ends July 29.
Student coordinator Jaronique Benjamin said she hopes applying classroom lessons to water conservation will spark student interest in science and, ultimately, engineering.
Seyi Kuunu, 11, thinks the program is accomplishing its goal.
"It's getting me on track to becoming an engineer," Seyi said.
"Ever since I was 4 years old, I was building things. I want to help out the homeless by building homes for them."
Seyi and others collected stone flies, measured the river's depth and calculated the water's velocity in Edwin Warner Park.
The weekly field trips, including two to Metro's water and sewage treatment plant and Cumberland Science Museum, reinforce the links between math, science and water conservation, said E.F. (Pat) Hollyday, a hydrologist with the U.S. Geological Survey.
"Our goal is to let them know there are sciences that can help solve real world problems and that some government agencies use these sciences," Hollyday said.
The first- through sixth-graders also study word processing, chemistry and the contributions of African-American scientists during morning classes.
Patrick Norton, 10, said he's enjoyed learning to use his personal computer to do more than play Minesweeper or browse on the Internet.
"I was just seeing how many computers I could get into," Patrick said. "Now one's for learning and one's for fun and games. I like both."
The 6-year-old program is sponsored by General Motors, 3M and TSU.