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UNC ‘green’ summer camp hosts second group of local high school students E-mail
Thursday, July 16, 2009

The second session of the Climate Leadership and Energy Awareness Program (Climate LEAP) will take place on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus next week, July 20-24.

Twenty-four high school students from Chapel Hill and Carrboro are taking part in the summer science enrichment experience.

The week-long institute, designed by staff from the UNC Institute for the Environment’s environmental resource program, UNC’s Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and the physics and astronomy department in the College of Arts and Sciences, will see students take part in hands-on activities such as lab experiments and computer data modeling.

Students will also take field trips to the University’s co-generation plant, the FedEx Global Education Center, the laboratories of scientists involved in the UNC-based Energy Frontier Research Center and MegaWatt Solar. The interdisciplinary center is being established under a $17.5 million, five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to develop solar fuels from next-generation photovoltaic technology.

Students will learn about climate change, alternative energy options and the sustainability of products and services from scientists, science educators and graduate students. Science teachers from Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools also will assist students during the program.

Funded by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, participation is free and students are paid a $500 stipend for attending the summer institute and at least three follow up “Saturday Academies” during the upcoming school year. They will also earn service learning credits towards their high school graduation requirement by conducting a community outreach project to educate others about climate change issues.

Note: Media interested in attending can obtain a schedule of activities, which will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the week-long program, by contacting Danielle Del Sol.

Institute for the Environment contact: Danielle Del Sol, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , (919) 962-0965

News Services contact: Patric Lane, (919) 962-8596, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it