Society Fellow hosts Science Summer Camp

Lillie Bryant, a 2012 Society Fellow, is spending her summer making research fun and accessible to as many students as she can. With the knowledge and experiences her students have gained through her programs and previous science fair experiences, Bryant helps set her students up for success.  

“One of the goals of a Society Fellow is to build a unique program based on the community’s needs. To support that ideal, I needed to reach additional students,” Bryant told us in an interview last year. 

She’s worked hard on that goal by leading both a high school research program at Reed Resource Center in Shuqualak, Mississippi and also a summer camp to keep the love of research alive all year long. This year, 20 students attended Bryant’s camp- 10 elementary and middle school students in one camp, and 10 high school students in another. The goal of the camp was to make a connection between what is learned in the after-school Research Class and the regular classroom curriculum.

Lillie also updated us on her research class:

“The high school program is going great. My students are excited about the new school year because they will be able to use the knowledge and experiences that they have gained at previous fairs to move their projects to the next level. They will be able to do this based upon building on their research skills, and by mentoring the younger participants in the program. 

“My former principal is now on the administrative staff at the high school, and has expressed a willingness to expand the program by giving me a classroom and a lab. Being housed at the school will increase the connection between my research program, The 30 Hour Research Runway, and the regular academic curriculum. This can lead to the research program’s longevity even after the Society Fellowship has ended. This is my ultimate goal for this endeavor.”