Monday, August 15, 2011
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
'U' offers camp for disadvantaged students
Program encourages
local middle school
students to learn in
a hands-on way
By JESSICA TREPKA
For the Daily
InnoWorks - a science sum-
mer camp program held at the
University and other schools
around the nation for socioeco-
nomically-disadvantaged middle
school students - will embark
upon its fourth year at the Uni-
versity in the quest to enrich the
minds of local youths when it
opens camp at the end of August.
With the philosophy of "by
students, for students," college
volunteers organize a week long
camp of activities and experi-
ments using resources offered by
the University to teach real-world
applications of science and engi-
neering, according to the United
InnoWorks Academy website.
This year, the camp will be com-
posed of Whitmore Lake Middle
School students and be held from
Aug. 22 to Aug. 26.
According to Jon Gold, an
engineering senior who works as
director of administration for the
camp, the program focuses on a
different school in the Ann Arbor
area each year, and students who
qualify for reduced lunches at
that school are eligible to apply
by expressing why they feel they
should be chosen to attend the
free summer camp.
Gold said that while the pro-
gram receives many applications,
only 30 students are accepted,
adding that the admissions pro-
cess aims to take into account
more than just academic achieve-
ment and "is not all about grades."
"We are really looking for
students with a natural desire to
learn and get better," Gold said.
He added his favorite part of
the camp is seeing students con-
tinually grow throughout the
week and gain confidence.
"As the week goes on, a lot of
the shy students would learn how
to take charge for projects," Gold
said. "Once they came up with
great ideas and started working
together, you could see on their
face the realization that they real-
ly have something to contribute."
Valerie Zeer, an LSA sopho-
more and the camp's curriculum
co-director, said the InnoWorks
program is unique because the
camp takes the students out of the
classroom and branches out from
traditional learning by providing
them with opportunities to learn
about science using hands-on
activities.
Zeer said her personal inter-
est in studying neuroscience first
stemmed from a former science
teacher who performed experi-
ments with the students after
every lesson.
"Originally, I absolutely hated
science," Zeer said. "I thought it
was boring. I always said making
science hands-on was the way I
had my interest sparked in sci-
ence."
Marjani Greene, a tenth-grade
student who participated in the
camp last year, said her favorite
part of the camp was the germ lab.
"It was interesting because I
got to see how many germs there
really are," Greene said.
She added the camp inspired
her to pursue a career in foren-
sics.
"I decided to go into foren-
sits because I really like problem
solving," Greene said. "I learned a
lot about problem solving at Inno-
Works. The camp made me enjoy
it more. I was able to sit down and
investigate."
Nikhil Iyer, an LSA junior and
statistics and executive direc-
tor of the program, said campers
work closely with their college
mentors in finding a possible
career path in a science-related
field.
"The camp inspires them
to learn more about careers of
research in science," Iyer said.
"They work with their mentors
and see how cool it is to do sci-
ence. It's possible to have fun
doing science."
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The Onion to begin A2 coverage this fall
Distributor says
satirical paper will
appeal to University
students
By MARISA WINTER
For the Daily
In addition to campus humor
publications The Every Three
Weekly and The Gargoyle, stu-
dents will soon have the opportu-
nity to leaf through the pages of
the nationally renowned satirical
paper The Onion as it begins dis-
tribution in the city of Ann Arbor
this fall.
Founded in Madison, Wiscon-
sin in the 1980s, The Onion is a
humorous news source that covers
local, national and international
issues, as well as entertainment
news in its non-satirical section
called The A.V. Club. University
alum Bobby Mitchell said he plans
to distribute The Onion with the
help of his Chicago-based distri-
bution company - Bopper Media
Inc. - adding he decided to bring
the paper to Ann Arbor because he
thinks the town has an audience
that will appreciate its humor.
"Ann Arbor has the most per-
fect market for The Onion based
on where it is now, the people who
read it and the community as a
whole," Mitchell said.
Living and working in Chica-
go, Mitchell said he was exited to
bring an office to Ann Arbor that
would cover local and national
news, adding he would eventually
like to distribute to Ypsilanti and
the greater Detroit area.
The Onion is currently dis-
tributed in fourteen cities across
the country and is continuing to
expand. Mitchell said the similari-
ties between the founding city of
Madison and Ann Arbor make it
an easy choice as a new venture for
the publication.
"There are a lot of similarities
between Madison and Ann Arbor
- they are both college towns and
the people must be relatively intel-
ligent to understand the humor,"
he said.
Bopper Media Inc. will print
and distribute the paper, which
will provide local stories and
humor that will be featured in the
entertainment section. Mitchell
said circulating the newspaper in
new places like Ann Arbor brings a
fresh, new comedic side of print to
the hands of the masses.
Carrie Palmer, director of
franchising for The Onion, said
their roots are in print media and
they have been long anticipating
distribution to Ann Arbor resi-
dents.
"Ann Arbor is a perfect fit,"
Palmer said. "We always wanted
to be in Ann Arbor - a great col-
lege town and a fantastic commu-
nity."
Palmer added she believes
the paper is expected to receive
a warm welcome by the educated.
and sophisticated Michigan stu-
dents and surrounding residents
who will appreciate its humor.
"The young, educated and
soon-to-be affluentdemographic...
is smart enough to get our humor,"
she said. "This demographic, both
on and off campus, fits our brand
perfectly. We are extremely excit-
ed to finally bring our paper here."
Through the partnership with
Bopper Media Inc., the satirical
news source will distribute 20,000
papers weekly starting after Labor
Day weekend, Palmer said.
Anne Finn, public relations
manager for The Onion, echoed
the sentiments of Mitchell and
Palmer that it is important for
their publication to expand and
that Ann Arbor seemed to be a
natural fit.
"The Onion's ongoing print
expansion is a testament to our
content," Finn said. "Over the last
year, we've introduced the news-
paper to new markets through-
out the U.S. as well as in Toronto,
Canada. Finding the right partner
is always key, and we are thrilled
to now have a presence in Ann
Arbor."
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