By NICOLE CARTRETTE

Several Central Middle School students took part in a “Careers in Science Investigation” camp last week.

The program was designed to excite children about math and science and spark their interest in healthcare jobs, said Cyndi Meredith, associate director of Health Careers Workforce Diversity for sponsor Carolina’s Area Health Education Centers (AHEC).

Studies show that in seventh and eighth grades many students start to lose their interest in math and science, Meredith said.

“There is a massive shortage in many areas of healthcare,” Meredith added.

In addition to getting children interested in health careers, Meredith said, “We want to encourage kids to come back to the area where they grew up to work. In rural communities we need people to come back to the area.”

The five-day camp included field trips to SCC and Columbus Regional Healthcare where students took part in hands-on demonstrations in chemistry and healthcare.

Students discussed academics, college preparation and medical terminology, and received an N.C. health careers manual that gives detailed, easy-to-understand descriptions of 90 careers.

The book lists the education and degrees required for health-related careers. In addition, academic programs throughout the state are listed.

“We cover two-year, four-year, master’s and doctorate programs,” Meredith said, adding that the program encourages a wide range of career goals.

“The children may be hearing about some of these jobs for the first time,” Meredith pointed out.

Shanae Lennon and Mariah Governor, both 13, participated in the program and agree that it was a lot of fun.

“I wanted to do it,” said Lennon, who admitted she would likely be asleep or at the park if she did not attend the science camp.

“You get to try things out,” Governor said. “The chemistry lab experiments were the most fun.”

The students who participated in the program will be tracked in a database, like all students who participate in programs of 20-plus hours. Meredith said.

“It’s awesome to follow students throughout high school, college and beyond,” Meredith said, noting several success stories.

One group of students from New Hanover County was involved in a program that included college tours. Meredith said the tour brought attention to academic programs and colleges in the state that many of the students did not know existed.

She indicated one group of five students had been tracked to Winston Salem State University where they received full-scholarships. Four were pursuing careers in healthcare.

“I am very proud of them,” Meredith said.

“It’s a great program to help kids build an interest in science and health careers,” CMS Principal Dr. Beverly Boone said.

Boone, who is also an AHEC advisory board member, said she would like to provide other opportunities similar to the science camp for students.

Coastal AHEC serves Columbus, Brunswick, Duplin, New Hanover and Pender counties. It is one of nine regional centers in the state. “The mission of the North Carolina AHEC Program is to meet the state’s health and health workforce needs by providing educational programs in partnership with academic institutions, healthcare agencies, and other organizations committed to improving the health of the people of North Carolina,” the website states.

For more information about AHEC programs and publications visit ncahec.net