For a young lady, the transformation that occurs between middle school and high school is monumental. It becomes a period of immense upgrades. Undershirts evolve into the uncomfortable travesty called brassieries; the old pink Schwinn turns into a used car. Instead of being the queen of the student kingdom, one becomes lost in the sea of high school students – and, in the middle of it all, “mother nature” steps in with her lovely blessing of womanhood.

It’s no wonder that seventh and eighth grade is an important time to foster dreams and ideals of young women. With that in mind, Watauga Cooperative Extension and the High Country Women’s Fund recently joined together to create Leadership, Environment & Agricultural Discoveries (LEAD), a program geared toward rising middle-school girls interested in science and the environment.

“I feel like that is such a critical age during which girls can go down an unhealthy path and the friends they have are so important,” says Catherine Scantlin, director of High Country Women’s Fund. “We felt it was a really good investment of our money to help these young girls with their future.”

LEAD is a weeklong program designed to nurture learning, build self-esteem, develop teamwork and leadership skills and encourage secondary education in science, explains Wendy Patoprsty, Extension agent.

During the first session, the girls studied topics including: health science, entomology, plant biology, horticulture, bio-assessment, water chemistry, fish biology and ecology.
“This is the first time in Watauga Extension history that a summer camp developed specifically for girls has been conducted,” Patoprsty says.

Patoprsty and Scantlin wanted to create a camp where they could foster the girls’ interest in science through the use of experiential education. The girls met with an exercise physiologist and a dietitian to set goals concerning healthy diets and exercise. They discussed the topics of image and values of women among society, and participated in a conditioning class. 

During the week, Brooke Cuttino, manager of the ASU Sustainable Farm in Valle Crucis, inspired the girls to pursue their dreams in horticulture and explained how she became a farm manager. After their day of “plant life,” the girls traveled to Apple Hill Farm to go horseback riding and interact with different animals while discussing animal rights in the US.

During the last two days of camp, the girls studied ecology and aquatic life. Students compared the difference between the creeks and streams of Boone to the Watauga River headwaters behind Grandfather Mountain. They performed chemical analysis on the creeks of Boone and searched for aquatic life within the streams. At the Watauga River behind Grandfather Mountain, they collected stoneflies, crane flies and caddis flies. On the last day, Kelly McCoy, fish biologist and owner of Rivergirl Outfitters, taught the girls to fly fish and explained the art and science behind fishing. Anna Ahlstrom, ASU geology student, spoke about Appalachian geology and the history of how the mountains and rivers have formed.

The program doesn’t stop after the week is over. The girls meet monthly to discuss issues and what they have learned from their experience. They also plan involvement in the upcoming Big Sweep service project with the Women’s Fund members following closely behind.

The goal of the camp leadership is to continue meeting with the girls throughout the year to develop relationships. “So when the girls get to high school and even now, they can have friends who are like-minded and interested in the field of science,” Patoprsty says. “We hope that the girls will continue to meet throughout the year and then when they get to high school they can mentor the upcoming new LEAD girls.”

At the end of the camp, the girls kept their Klean Kanteen and To Go Ware stainless steel water bottles and lunchboxes as a reward and a reminder of the economic impact they achieved over the summer.

“Overall this camp was spectacular, a learning experience for the participants and the Extension agents,” Patoprsty says.

Every student completed an evaluation form the last day of camp. “The girls wrote they learned about courage, trust, knowledge, and friendship. They learned that science doesn’t have to be dorky, and there is a lot more to science than research.”

The elementary schools that participated in this program were Hardin Park, Cove Creek, Mabel and Blowing Rock.

In order to participate in the program, the girls have to be nominated by guidance counselors and teachers within their school. Nomination forms will be available after January, 2009 for the next camp.

“We would like to have all the schools represented next year,” Patoprsty says.
Other sponsors of LEAD include ENV Environmental Consulting Firm of Boone and North State Environmental of Winston Salem.

For more information about LEAD, please contact Wendy Patoprsty at  Wendy_Patoprsty@ncsu.edu.

The 2009 nomination forms for inclusion in upcoming canps will be available in January.