OSC Announces 2005 YWSI Middle-School Participants

COLUMBUS, Ohio (May 6, 2005) — 

The Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC) has selected 18 of Ohio's middle-school girls to participate in its Young Women's Summer Institute (YWSI) held on July 31-August 6, 2005 in Columbus.

YWSI is a weeklong program sponsored by OSC for middle-school girls in Ohio. It is designed to promote computer, math and science skills as well as provide hands-on experiences. YWSI helps girls develop an interest in these subjects by allowing them to work on a practical, interesting scientific problem using the latest computer technology.

YWSI is a response to girls' lack of interest in math and science and women's low participation in the science and technology fields, and in particular, information technology. YWSI introduces girls to exciting careers and job opportunities by surrounding them with women who are successful in these fields. In addition, teachers are selected to assist with YWSI, allowing them to take what they learn in the program back to the classroom.

The YWSI admissions process is very selective. In their applications, students must submit an essay and provide at least two teacher recommendations.

OSC chose the following applicants:

Emily Bay
Tri-Valley Middle School
Cumberland, OH

Eleanor Beckwith
Home School
Grove City, Ohio

Michelle Byer
Davis Middle School
Columbus, Ohio

Brooklyn Dawson
Bucyrus Middle School
Bucyrus, Ohio

Victoria Dershem
Kettering Middle School
Kettering, Ohio

Amy Farrar
Heritage Middle School
Westerville, Ohio

Brooke Gainer
Heritage Middle School
Westerville, Ohio

Marissa C. Ganzfried
Evening Street School
Columbus, Ohio

Kristen Helmsdoerfer
Orange Middle School
Westerville, Ohio

Andrea Hesse
Calumet Christian Zenos School
Columbus, Ohio

Sarah Janitzki
St. Pius X School
Pickerington, Ohio

Elise Kaiser
West Fall Middle School
Williamsport, Ohio

Kelly Kiser
Jones Middle School
Columbus, Ohio

Rebekah Lee
Davis Middle School
Columbus, Ohio

Molly Mullen
Rockway School
Springfield, Ohio

Nandi Ramsey
Diley Middle School
Pickerington, Ohio

Elise Schaefer
Columbus School for Girls
Columbus, Ohio

Erin Shultz
Perrysburg Junior High
Perrysburg, Ohio

For more information please visit http://www.osc.edu/ywsi or contact Kathryn Kelley at 614/292-6067. A second YWSI program is sponsored by Kent State University in Kent, Ohio.

YWSI is funded in part by Battelle, Procter & Gamble, American Electric Power, and the Online Computer Library Center.