SSC-9350572 Texas A&M Research Fdnt. Collete Station, TX Sturdivant, Karon, Giardino, John, Valdes, Juan and Paris, Rodney The goal of the Texas A&M University Camp Planet Earth: Summer Environmental Science Camp is to increase the number of African American, hispanic, and Native American students from educationally, disadvantaged backgrounds who succeed in college preparatory courses in mathematics and science during their high school years and then to enter these disciplines of study at the college level. Participants will work in a stimulating, non- threatening educational environment with professors as mentors and Texas A&M University graduate students and selected former Camp Planet Earth Students serving as mentors and peer role modes. Through a variety of instructional activities at Texas A&M University and the actual field experience, participants will obtain knowledge and skills related to the scientific investigation of the environment of Planet Earth; develop a strong interest in pursuing careers in science and increase their knowledge of the educational preparation required for such careers; develop academic skills for their high school studies through sessions which focus on strengthening their skills in reading, writing, and communications with particular emphasis on helping students develop good study skills for mathematics and science courses; and develop an increased level of pride and appreciation in their ethnicities and cultural sensitivity to other ethnic groups. Environmental science has been selected as the focus for the Camp because it integrates a number of scientific disciplines: geology, meteorology, biology, chemistry, geography, physics, engineering, and mathematics. This interdisciplinary approach is based on the strong belief that the environment can best be understood by the application of general systems theory to planetary processes. The approach requires that Camp participants consider the planet from a holistic point o f view and emphasizes the idea of linkages between the subsystems of the earth as well as the various components and elements of the subsystems. The four week-long Camp Planet Earth will convene on the Texas A&M campus in College Station. After two weeks of classroom instruction, the participants, camp faculty and staff will travel to the program's field camp in Alamosa, Colorado. The camp will be a combination of an academic experience and an "outward-bound" adventure.
