Contact: Debbie Gibbons, Extended Education and Summer Programs (360) 650-6820 or youth@wwu.edu
BELLINGHAM - Western Washington University's Youth Programs features College Quest, which starts Sunday, July 12, as part of its diverse array of summer camp programs.
College Quest, a popular weeklong immersion in campus life and academics for high school students, is lead by WWU faculty with a special passion for their areas of expertise. College Quest students spend a week in a WWU residence hall, eat their meals in a university dining hall and earn a college credit by completing a course taught by WWU professors.
Former College Quest students have said that the faculty's enthusiasm is a source of inspiration. Many of the students have never before taken a college course or participated in a residential program on a college campus.
"College Quest is an excellent program that gives high school students an opportunity to experience college life first-hand," said program alum Tyler McFarland. "When I signed-up for College Quest I was looking forward to spending a week working on an environmental film, little did I know that I would end up applying and enrolling at Western."
Another program alumna said College Quest was a wonderful transition from high school.
"The unique college experience coupled with the striking natural surroundings made my week at College Quest second to none in my college application process," said Arielle Mulenos.
College Quest participants choose from four different courses.
Wendy Walker and Katie Fleming, of WWU's Huxley College of the Environment, co-teach "Climate Quest: Environmental Studies and the Art of Filmmaking." Students taking this course will conduct field research on the Nooksack River watershed, study present and future effects of climate change on the watershed and produce videos to share their acquired knowledge.
Julie Helling, of Western's Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies, teaches "Criminal Law and Justice." Students in this course will learn about the American legal system by participating in a mock trial and visiting with a police officer and prosecuting and defense attorneys.
David Bover, professor and chair of the Computer Science Department, teaches "Animation Programming." In this course, students practice the principles of object-oriented programming and complete a number of animation projects throughout the week.
David Patrick, director of the Advanced Materials Science and Engineering Center, teaches "Renewable Energy." Students in this course will create biodiesel fuel, construct solar cell devices and take field trips to local energy companies to learn about the materials science and technology behind renewable energy.
All of these courses will be held from July 12-17, except for "Climate Quest: Environmental Studies and the Art of Filmmaking" which will be held from July 12-19.
Over the past seven years, College Quest has fostered strong bonds between high school students and Western faculty. Walker and Fleming said they have written letters of recommendation for college admissions for former College Quest students, and have been asked to mentor high school senior projects. They said many students stay in touch and some have chosen Western as their choice for higher education because of their experience in College Quest.
"I have known a few who have gone on to work on additional environmental media projects and others who are now studying environmental science or film production at college. College Quest played a role in motivating these students," said Fleming. "That certainly inspires me and makes me look forward to meeting the next group."
From July 20-24, Western offers additional weeklong courses on computer science, filmmaking, digital photography and veterinary science through the Summer Programs for Youth (SPY) program. From June 22 to July 10, students can study all the elements of theatrical production in WWU's Performing Arts Center at the Summer Youth Theatre Institute. Western also offers dance instruction at its Dance Academy for Youth program from August 3-21.
To view some of the final video projects from Summer 2007 and 2008 College Quest students, visit the Youth Programs Web site at http://www.wwu.edu/youth/. To register or find additional information on College Quest or other WWU summer youth programs, visit the Web site or call (360) 650-3308.
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