Forty-eight middle school students from across Arkansas will get a taste of college and rigorous, hands-on science and math experiences at the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp at UALR from July 8 – 14.

This is the fourth consecutive year UALR has been chosen as one of 20 sites nationally to host the academically rigorous camp. The fifth, sixth, and seventh-grade students were selected for their outstanding science and math aptitude. The program is managed by the Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology (EIT).

Harris, the first African American to walk in space, is founder and president of the Harris Foundation and is on the board of directors for the National Math and Science Initiative. UALR is the only university in Arkansas selected to conduct the elite program organized by the astronaut’s Harris Foundation and funded by ExxonMobil.

The two-week residential camp is free for all students selected.

“Campers are chosen based on grades – all campers must have at least a B average in math and science – teacher recommendations, and the student’s essay,” said Vernard Henley, director of recruitment and outreach at EIT. “We had more than 110 applicants this year. We selected 24 boys and 24 girls, with 16 students – eight boys and eight girls – representing each grade level.”

Students live on campus for the two-week camp and attend classes in biology, chemistry, English, mathematics, technology, and engineering design. They also participate in hands-on lab activities, conduct research, and work on projects designed to develop critical thinking skills with educators certified in their respective subject areas.

The students will also be presented with engineering problems to solve. At a previous camp session, the students built a model raft out of two pieces of aluminum foil and four plastics straws and calculated how many pennies each raft could support.

The camp program was originally developed as a collaborative effort of the Harris Foundation, the Houston Independent School District, the University of Houston, and the Southwestern Oklahoma State University to support historically underserved and underrepresented students with limited opportunities.

Students attending the camp this summer and their schools are:

Mariah Adams of Little Rock, LISA Academy
Revan Aleti of Blytheville, KIPP Blytheville
Brandon Beesley of Bentonville, Ruth Barker Magnet School
Jon Boekhout of Hot Springs, Hot Springs Intermediate
Trevor Borne of Little Rock, Christ the King Catholic
Johannah Branch of Mt. Ida, Ode Maddox Elementary
Amanda Brown of Little Rock, Gibbs Magnet
David Buckner Jr. of Bryant, Bethel Magnet
Maria Carter of Maumelle, LISA Academy
Khalil Catman-Williams of Pine Bluff, St. Peter Catholic
Jalarra Davis of Little Rock, Mann Magnet
Wade Dill of Huntsville, St. Paul Elementary
Aleecia Evans of Little Rock, eSTEM Charter
Nathanial Evans of Beebe, Beebe Magnet
David Fraley of Dardanelle, Dardanelle Elementary
Imani Gosserand of Rogers, Kirksey Magnet
Alexis Howe of Paron, Pulaski Academy
Julian Hughes of Forrest City, Forrest City Junior High
Ray Jackson Little Rock, Pulaski Academy
A’yanah Jefferson of Helena, West Side Elementary
Samantha Jones of Dermott, Dermott High School
Zadreauna Jones of Dermott, Dermott High School
Kouadio Kondo of Little Rock, Otter Creek Elementary
Ashlyn Lambert of McGehee, McGehee Elementary
Jackson Li of Little Rock, Baker Elementary
Giovanni Mannon of Rose Bud, Arkansas Virtual Academy
Diamond Maxfield of North Little Rock, Mann Magnet
Aloria McKay of West Helena, Eliza Miller Junior High
Jordan Nelms of Blytheville, KIPP Blytheville
Greysun Perry of Elkins, St Paul Elementary
Jacob Ponder of Sherwood, Oakbrooke
William Rigsby of Lonsdale, Fountain Lake Middle
Roderick Shelby II of Pine Bluff, Ridgeway Christian
L.T. Simes IV of Lexa, Eliza Miller Junior High
Swetha Sirigineedi of Rogers, Kirksey Middle
Elizabeth Solleder of Hot Springs, Hot Springs Intermediate
Grace Stewart of Sherwood, Oakbrooke Elementary
Mary Stover of Bigelow, Our Lady of the Holy Souls
Eric Sutherland of Mena, Acorn High
Madelyn Taylor of McGehee, McGehee Elementary
Pranav Vasan of Bentonville, Barker Middle
Sarah Walker of Benton, Fountain Lake
Courtney Ward of Arkansas City, McGehee Elementary
Khari Williams of West Helena, Beech Crest Elementary
Lauren Winham of Rogers, Kirksey Middle
Brianna Winkle of Ward, Cabot Junior High
Feiyang Xie of Little Rock, LISA Academy
Michael Zheng of Rogers, Kirksey Middle