Wichita High School Students Complete Newman University Hispanic Scholar Program
Contact: Kelly Snedden
Director, Communications
Phone: 316-942-4291, ext. 2164
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 5, 2007
Wichita High School Students Complete Newman University Hispanic Scholar Program
Wichita, Kan. – Newman University recently celebrated the success of 21 Wichita high school students who completed the fall 2007 Hispanic Scholar Program. The students, who performed individualized projects in the biological, health or physical sciences, were selected from Bishop Carroll Catholic High School, as well as Wichita Metro-Meridian Alternative, Wichita East and Wichita North High Schools as part of an ongoing effort by Newman to keep Hispanic students in high school and encourage them to pursue higher education.
The Hispanic Scholar Program was created in 2001 to address concerns about the high dropout rate among Hispanic high school students. The program is offered primarily to Wichita and Sedgwick County Hispanic high school juniors and seniors, and is designed to strengthen students’ pre-college science, mathematics, and English skills by making learning a fun and familiar experience.
The program was sponsored this year by former Newman Board of Directors member and longtime Newman supporter Yolanda Camarena, and Newman University, which also waives the tuition of $1,178 for each student and provides facilities and instructional materials.
Surendra Singh, Ph.D., professor of biology at Newman University and Hispanic Scholar Program founder and director, stressed the importance of helping Hispanic students finish high school and consider entering college.
“This group is at high risk for dropping out, which forecloses a lifetime of opportunities and, consequently makes it far more likely that their own children may be placed at risk,” Dr. Singh said. “This program strongly supports the Newman University goal to build a stronger and prosperous community by investing in people and enriching their quality of life.”
The program uses an inquiry-based, interdisciplinary approach to learning that integrates different academic disciplines. Each student conducts a literature search, performs laboratory and field experiments, collects data, analyzes results, draws conclusions and writes a paper in a scientific format. Students are encouraged to present their papers at the annual Kansas Junior Academy of Science meeting. Students receive a certificate of completion, two hours of college credit and an academic stipend of $100.
Students who participated in the 2007 Hispanic Scholar Program are shown by high school.
Bishop Carroll Catholic High School
Crystal Garcia
Kellene Resa
Kelly Reynaga
Isabella Scheibmeir
Wichita East High School
Michael Butler
Oscar Flores
Laura Garcia
Jael Gomez
Erika Gutierrez
Kelly Guzman
Guadalupe Martinez
Jacqueline Navarrete
Angelica Perez
Vanessa Phillips
Wichita Metro-Meridian Alternative High School
Guadalupe Martinez
Wichita North High School
Eva Arevalo
Mayra S. Castillo
Mayra Lopez
Kenneth Martinez
Janet Montanez
Andres Rivas-Cruz
Elisa Rosales |
Hispanic Scholars-Bishop Carroll: L-R: Kelly Reynaga, Kellene Resa, Isabella Scheibmeir. Not pictured: Crystal Garcia.
|
Hispanic Scholars-East High: L-R: Laura Garcia, Angelica Perez, Jael Gomez, Erika Gutierrez, Vanessa Phillips, Jacqueline Navarrete, Michael Butler, Oscar Flores, Kelly Guzman.
|
Hispanic Scholars-Metro Meridian: Guadalupe Martinez
|
Hispanic Scholars-North High: Front: Mayra Lopez. Middle Row, L-R: Elisa Rosales, Mayra S. Castillo, Eva Arevalo, Janet Montanez. Back, L-R: Andres Rivas-Cruz, Kenneth Martinez.
|
|
Posted on Wednesday, December 05, 2007 (Archive on Tuesday, January 01, 2008)
Posted by admin_schneiderl Contributed by admin_schneiderl
| | Return |
|