Last week, a group of Scotland County rising seventh and eighth graders got about as far away from the sweltering July heat as you can get.

Last week, a group of Scotland County rising seventh and eighth graders got about as far away from the sweltering July heat as you can get.

Figuratively, anyway.

Fifty students from Carver, Spring Hill and Sycamore Lane Middle Schools spent the week studying ice caps and polar bears and as part of Project QuEST (Quality Education through Science Teams) summer institute.

“The kids worked in groups of four or five and were given a problem to solve dealing with the arctic and had to present ” said teacher Susan Clifton. “The students dealt with travel, animals and global warming. We also took a trip to the North Carolina Zoo and the kids went to a presentation on arctic ecosystems. This week was a great way to kick off the year.”

Rising seventh grader Brianna Aumoeualogo is already seeing the benefits of being involved with Project QuEST.

“We have learned about arctic animals and how the ecosystem there is being threatened,” said the Carver student. “But more importantly I’ve learned how to better get along with people and work in groups to solve problems.”

Sycamore Lane Middle School Principal Rick Singletary was on hand Friday afternoon as students presented their projects to teachers, parents, other students and members of the community and was impressed with the students’ projects and sees the program greatly benefiting his school.

“Every time a student has an opportunity to explore the sciences, they are going to benefit,” said Singletary. “Project QuEST offers them a great opportunity to expand their science knowledge and skill and serves as another building block as they move from the middle school to high school and beyond.”

The goals of Project QuEST are to improve student performance in science and mathematics; increase students' interest in and enthusiasm for science and mathematics; and increase students' interest in following careers in science and mathematics. The students will follow up the summer institute with thirty two-hour, after-school sessions at the Scotland High School of Math, Science and Technology (MST). During the year, they rotate through four topics (forensic science, animals in captivity, marine biology, and geology) and make overnight field trips to work with scientists from partnering agencies NC SBI, NC Zoo, UNC-Wilmington, and Appalachian State University. The students, working in teams of five, use Problem Based Learning and focus their research via the internet, library materials and interviews with experts on a question related to their interests. At the end of each rotation, students present their findings in a multi-media presentation at a Research Symposium attended by other students, faculty, parents, and community leaders.

Project QuEST was made possible by a Student Science Enrichment Program grant from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. The Burroughs Wellcome Fund is an independent private foundation dedicated to advancing the biomedical sciences by supporting research and other scientific and educational activities.