BOONE— Appalachian State University is accepting applications for its free after-school science enrichment program called AppalSEED Academy. The program, now in its second year, is a yearlong science enrichment program targeting home school students in Northwestern North Carolina and minority and low-income students from Hickory and Watauga high schools.

Students in AppalSEED Academy, a science enrichment program at Appalachian State University, learn about chemistry, eco-toxicology, microscopy and biomedical science. (Photo courtesy of AppalSEED Academy)

A total of 20 students will be admitted to the program. High school students must be entering the 10th grade this fall to participate. Home school students must be at least 13 years old.

AppalSEED stands for Appalachian Student Experience-based Education. The program is funded by a grant from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.

Students selected to the academy will participate in team building activities and work with professors, including participation in research projects, in each of four areas: chemistry, eco-toxicology, microscopy and biomedical science.

They will meet on Thursdays from 5-8 p.m. from September through April on the Appalachian campus. Students selected from the Hickory area will receive transportation to and from Appalachian and dinner.

Participating faculty are Nicole Bennett from the Department of Chemistry, Guichuan Hou from the university’s microscopy facility, Shea Tuberty from the Department of Biology, and Chishimba Nathan Mowa, program director and a faculty member in the Department of Biology.

For more information about the program or to apply, contact Bridget Tuberty, program coordinator, at (828) 773-4743 or e-mail tubertybi@appstate.edu. Additional information also is online at www.appalseed.appstate.edu. The deadline for applications is March 6.

Interested students from Watauga High School should contact Tom Brown at BrownTom@watauga.k12.nc.us for an application.

Hickory High School students can contact Andela Hattman at Hattmanan@hickoryschools.net for an application.

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