Middle schoolers come to IU for a week to learn

IU’s Pathfinder summer camp wrapped up last week leaving underrepresented middle-school students with a focus on their academic future.\n“This year we wanted to raise the bar for students,” said Kim Morris-Newson, co-director of Pathfinders. \nPathfinders is a summer camp that brings middle school students to IU for one week in June to educate them in subject areas including reading and writing for sixth graders, math and technology for seventh graders and science for eighth grade students. About 90 percent of students came from Indiana. Students also came from Louisiana, Ohio, Illinois, North Carolina, Missouri and Kentucky. \nThis is the first year directors decided to stress particular subjects for students entering sixth, seventh and eighth grade. Previously all subjects were combined but now first-year students focus on reading and writing, while second years focus on math and technology and third year students focus on science.\nDirectors Morris-Newson and Mary Tourner are both former high school teachers from Gary, Ind,. where Tourner taught math and Morris-Newson science. \nMath and science in particular are often overlooked and undesirable to many students, Tourner said. The ability to present these subjects in a hands-on approach is essential. \nProfessors from various departments at IU volunteered their time to educate Pathfinder students. Professors included Frank Motley from the Law School, Edwardo Rhodes of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Abhijit Basu of Geology, Michael Edwards of SPEA and Chemistry, John Dvorak of the School of Journalism and Garfield Warrant of Physics. \nRhodes showed campers the process of waste products. She made a point that waste actually grows in grass and then comes out in the environment, Morris-Newson said. \nMotley took time out of his day to show campers one his favorite pastimes. He brought students out to the golf course to give a few swings at golf. \nMotley was very excited to bring the students out, Tourner said. The professors are a huge part of the program and without them the camp would not be possible. \nSenior Jamel Dotson, who worked at the camp, presented the seventh graders with a math activity titled “Reality Store.” The “Reality Store” allowed students to pick a job which had income listed and the type of degree needed for each job, Morris-Newson said. The students learned about financial wealth and the necessity of a college degree.\nTourner and Morris-Newson were proud to say they received letters from parents thanking them for the encouragement their children needed. One letter from a parent said their child was inspired to go to college, Tourner said. \n The camp stressed the importance for equal opportunity for each and every student.\n“Although there is diversity there is one goal in everyone’s mind and that is education,” Morris-Newson said.