Colorado High School Seniors Selected for National Youth Science Camp®
April 14, 2005
Denver, Colo. — Gov.
Bill Owens announced today that Tyler Benton of Vona and Tara Clancy
of Evergreen have been selected as the two most promising young scientific
leaders in Colorado’s 2005 high school graduating class. At
the invitation of Gov. Bob Wise of West Virginia, they will participate
as delegates in the 42nd session of the National Youth Science Camp® held
near the National Radio Astronomy Observatory at Green Bank, W.Va.
Tyler Benton has worked
with The Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR) at the
University of Colorado in Boulder to study ice core samples from
Greenland and reconstruct relative temperatures of the region 1,000
years ago. He also worked with INSTAAR to reconstruct soil moisture
patterns on the South Platte between 1541 and 2002 A.D. He is currently
working with the Colorado Geological Survey to investigate the
geology of the Anton Scarp of the High Plains of Colorado. Throughout
his high school career, Class President Tyler has played key roles
in Future Farmers of America (FFA), Family Career and Community
Leaders of America, Future Business Leaders of America, and the
National Honor Society. He plans to major in environmental science
to pursue a career as a NASA researcher studying past climate patterns.
Tara Clancy is the winner
of the Paul W. Richard Outstanding Scholar Award at the 2004 Frontiers
of Science Institute and recipient of the Outstanding Citizenship
Award. After winning first place for her freshman and sophomore
years’ environmental science projects, Tara presented her
work at the Minnesota Academy of Science Junior Science and Humanities
Symposium. Tara is the community service co-chair of the National
Honor Society. In addition to her strong interest in science, Tara
is on the varsity tennis and cross-country ski teams, as well as
a member of the marching and symphonic band, where her achievements
encouraged the school to create the Tara Clancy Award for Outstanding
Attitude and Good Will.
Since 1963, the National
Youth Science Camp® has provided a four-week summer forum for
two student delegates from each state and the District of Columbia
to exchange ideas with leading scientists and other professionals
from academic and corporate worlds. Scientists from across the
United States present lectures and hands-on research projects on
some of the most provocative topics in science today — such
as fractal geometry, the human genome project, global climate change,
the history of the universe, the fate of our rain forests, and
robotics. More information about the National Youth Science Foundation® is
available online at www.nysf.com and www.nysc.org.
Selection of Colorado’s
delegates was coordinated by Mid-continent Research for Education
and Learning (McREL), a nonprofit education research and development
organization located in Aurora. Through an Eisenhower Regional
Consortium for Mathematics and Science grant from the U.S. Department
of Education, McREL promotes improvement in mathematics and science
education in a seven-state region that includes Colorado.
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McREL is a nationally recognized, private, nonprofit organization
located in Aurora, Colo., dedicated to improving education for
all students through applied research, product development and
service. Its staff of highly respected educators and researchers
focuses on providing educators and policymakers with the highest
quality, field-tested, research-based products and services available
in PreK–16 education.
