Wednesday, September 22, 2010

The University of North Carolina Wilmington is offering science-related programming Sept. 23-25 for families and children of all ages. As part of the North Carolina Science Festival, these programs are designed to teach young children, middle school students and high school students about science concepts in a fun, active, hands-on atmosphere.

Media are welcome to attend and cover any of these events. Visual ops include students interacting with an underwater remote operated vehicle (ROV) and a life-sized right whale model. The Sept. 23 and 24 events are full and registration is closed, so please do not publicize to the general public.

UNCW’s MarineQuest program will host two family nights, Sept. 23 and 24 at the Center for Marine Science, and Literacy Live, “Into the Belly of a Whale,” Sept. 25 in the Education Building Atrium. The Watson School of Education’s Junior Seahawk Academy will host a “Family Learning Day” Sept. 25 in Education Building 162.

• Thursday, Sept. 23, from 5-7:30 p.m., young people ages 10-17 will experience “Ocean: the Final Frontier,” focusing on marine technology and deep sea exploration.
• Friday, Sept. 24, from 5-7:30 p.m., ages 5-11 are invited to “Discover Our Ocean,” to study marine life forms from the microscopic to the gigantic.
• Saturday, Sept. 25, from 1-2:30 p.m., ages 4-7 can venture “Into the Belly of a Whale” to explore a life-size right whale model and learn about whale behavior and migration.
• Saturday, Sept. 25 from 8:30 a.m. to noon, middle school Junior Seahawks will enjoy a fun-filled day of hands-on experiments, rocket construction and a scavenger hunt.

MarineQuest, a program Public Service and Continuing Studies, supports preK-12 outreach, providing academically enriching programs related to the study of marine science for all ages. Junior Seahawk Academy provides opportunities for middle schoolers from underrepresented populations to develop an interest in math, science and technology through fun, hands-on activities.

The North Carolina Science Festival is a multi-day celebration showcasing science and technology (Sept. 11-25). The festival will highlight the educational, cultural and financial impact of science in our state. More information is available at www.ncsciencefestival.org.

Media contacts:
MarineQuest and Literacy Live: Woody Sutton, Woody Sutton at suttonc@uncw.edu or 910.962.7074

Junior Seahawk: Dana Fischetti, media relations manager, 910.508-3127 or fischettid@uncw.edu