21 Rising Ninth-Graders Attend Biotech Camp at RCC

ASHEBORO (June 22, 2007)

Twenty-one rising ninth-graders completed a week-long Biotechnology Camp at Randolph Community College this week designed to introduce biotechnology as a science career choice. Participants were selected from students accepted as incoming freshmen by Randolph Early College High School. They attended classes from 9 a.m.-noon in RCC’s Health & Science Center focusing on forensics, agriculture, disease and medicines/ pharmaceuticals.

Randolph Community College biology instructor Donna Perry (right) aids rising ninth-graders in a DNA experiment during a Biotechnology Camp held at RCC this week. The camp was designed to introduce biotechnology as a science career choice.

“The students learned skills such as observation, collaboration and problem-solving, and they came away with a better understanding of the use of gene science to create new products from plants and animals,” said Donna Perry, biology instructor and coordinator of math, science, health and physical education for RCC. Their activities included constructing a DNA model, analyzing DNA gels, transferring cultured Venus’s-flytrap plants to soil, and completing a DNA murder mystery kit. One of the more popular experiments involved transforming bacteria with a fluorescent gene from a jellyfish, which made the bacteria glow green.

 

“I liked the experiments,” said one student evaluation of the camp. “I like to learn how to make things with chemicals. I love science.” Another student enthused, “I loved Biotech Camp and they should definitely do this again.” Randolph Early College High School biology and science instructor Marie Milliner assisted Perry in planning and running the camp.

The Biotech Camp was funded by a $13,954 BioNetworkgrant from the State Board of Community Colleges to increase the interest in biotechnology and related life sciences as a career.

Randolph Early College High School science instructor Marie Milliner (right), who assisted with the Biotechnology Camp held in RCC’s Health & Science Center, oversees a student in an exercise to transfer cultured Venus’s-flytrap plants to soil.

Subsequently, the equipment purchased by the grant from BioNetwork will be available to the RCC science faculty to expand the number of biology lab activities and offer a range of biotech seminars and workshops to interested groups including potential biotechnology workforce members.

Ultimately, the grant will enable RCC and its educational and workforce development partners to better market biotechnology as a career by increasing the number of individuals exposed to the duties and satisfactions of a career in science. This will help create a pipeline of prospective biotechnology students for tomorrow’s workforce.

RCC offers an associate in applied science degree in Biotechnology in collaboration with Alamance Community College. The program is designed to prepare graduates to serve in three distinct capacities:  research assistant to a biologist or a chemist; laboratory technician/instrumentation technician, and quality control/quality assurance technician. All first-year classes may be taken at RCC, then students transfer to ACC for all second-year courses and completion of the program.