Middle School Students Explore Science and Nature at EWU

Students from four Spokane middle schools recently visited Eastern Washington University for a day of hands-on science and career exploration.

About 40 students from Pauline Flett, Yasuhara, Shaw, and Glover middle schools participated in the May 6 event. The students, who are all part of Spokane Public Schools’ Native Education Program, transplanted plants at the seed garden, toured the Prairie Restoration Project, and stopped by the Science Building’s geographic information system (GIS) and scanning electron microscope labs.

“We’re teaching them about restoration ecology, GIS, and microscopy as a career path that they can follow if they are interested,” says Becky Brown, a professor of biology. “We are also teaching them about the native prairie communities that are here.”

The EWU Prairie Restoration Project, funded in part by EWU donors contributing to the Prairie Restoration Fund, was a top destination for the visitors. The campus visit was supported by a Faculty Supplemental Budget Grant to Professors Becky Brown, Carmen Nezat, and Stacy Warren, and staffed by about 20 EWU student volunteers, including education majors.

Ype Kingma, a 34-year-old junior biology student who works in the campus greenhouse, enjoyed sharing his knowledge of plants with the youth at the seed garden.

“If you can spark a little interest with anybody, that’s rewarding,” Kingma says. “These kids are smart. They have the potential to do anything they want.”

William Dennison, facilities manager and marketing coordinator for the Spokane Tribe of Indians’ Tribal Food Sovereignty site in Wellpinit, Washington, helps students learn about the historical importance of the land to his tribe.

Dennison notes that spending the day at Eastern encourages middle schoolers to realize they can pursue a university degree that aligns with tribal values regarding land, plants, history and language.

“When they first show up, they are not sure what to expect,” Dennison says. “Then, as time goes on, you just see at the end of the day they’ve got great big bright smiles. Some of them just learn so much before they leave.”

Dennison looks forward to continuing the relationship with EWU, saying, “This is just such a wonderful opportunity for the youth to be able to do this, learn, and tour the campus. Maybe one day, they might be future Eagles who want to come back.”

The experience left a positive impression on the visiting students, giving them a chance to connect with both nature and future opportunities.

Ezmae Houtchens, a seventh-grade student at Flett Middle School, enjoyed being outdoors and learning about nature. “I think it’s just really interesting. It helps us learn about the future in the ecosystem as a whole and what we can do to fix it over time,” Houtchens says.

Cartier Johnson, an eighth-grade student at Glover Middle School, already has Eastern on his list of potential colleges. He enjoys science, holds an interest in chemistry, and felt the visit brought him closer to nature.

“Honestly, I feel like I just like being outside,” Johnson says. “When you are out here long enough, you start to really appreciate the beauty of nature. Even if you know about a couple of plants, there are always thousands of plants out there that are going to be peeking out at you.”

The event proved mutually beneficial. Working with the middle schoolers provided EWU’s undergraduate and graduate students, some who are education majors and will work with young students as a career, with a valuable opportunity to connect with the public regarding science and ecological restoration.

“Our students are getting exposure to doing science outreach,” Professor Brown says. “Their students are getting exposure to being at a university and seeing different career paths.”