CAMPAIGN – Summer Science Youth Camp Enrollment Summer Science Youth Camp The Penn State Cooperative Extension strives to empower the people and communities it serves through research-based education and information. With the creation of the Mifflin County Summer Science Youth Camp, Extension has brought science out of classrooms and into the community for middle school students. Summer Science Youth Camp provides students with the opportunity to partake in hands-on lab experiments, simulation labs, career exploration, crafts, competitions and field trips. In its first year the Central PA Gold Medal Initiative Fund made the camp possible as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. However, in order for the camp to continue making science education fun for children, Summer Science Youth Camp must prove sustainable. This means increasing enrollment from its inaugural year. Research Client/Organization: The Penn State Cooperative Extension is the realization of the goal of land grant universities to bring research and expertise into communities. Created by Extension, Mifflin County Summer Science Youth Camp is a 5-day camp aimed at making science education fun and exciting for seventh and eighth grade students. Opportunity: Research suggests that general awareness of Summer Science Youth Camp is low among parents of sixth and seventh grade students in Mifflin and Juniata counties. Having completed a successful inaugural camp in June 2010, this year presents a valuable opportunity to increase awareness and enrollment in camp. Audiences: The targeted public for this campaign is families in Juniata and Mifflin counties with children in sixth and seventh grades. Interviews: One-on-one interviews were conducted the week of October 31 – November 4, 2010 in order to determine how best to reach the target audience and entice parents to enroll their children in science camp. Names and phone numbers were obtained from Mifflin and Juniata County Extension offices. Parents who chose to participate were asked a series of 15 questions. Objectives Informational: To increase parent awareness of Mifflin County Summer Science Youth Camp from 32% to 50% by June 1, 2011 through local print media and promotion in relevant school districts. Behavioral: To have maximum enrollment (25 students) of Summer Science Youth Camp by the camp registration deadline. Attitudinal: Encourage parents to register their children for Summer Science Youth Camp. Currently, 44% of parents surveyed said they were unsure if they would send their child to science camp; our goal is to decrease parent uncertainty from 44% to 20% by June 1, 2011.

Programming Theme/messages: The campaign message must communicate to parents that Summer Science Youth Camp will be beneficial to their child. A sample slogan could be, “Summer Science Youth Camp: Growing tomorrow’s leaders.” Action/Special Events: Much like a field-day where students are engaged in physical activity and friendly competition for a portion of the day, Extension educators and previous camp counselors could host, a ‘Science-day’ for sixth and seventh grade students to engage them in and excite them about the types of activities done at Mifflin County Summer Science Youth Camp. Uncontrolled Media: Target local city, town and county newspapers, such as The Lewistown Sentinel with press releases about the camp’s second year. Also, have the camp placed on community calendars in Mifflin and Juniata Counties. Controlled Media: Reach out to parents with radio PSAs on local stations such as WMRF. Also reach out to students and parents with brochures. Brochures will be strategically distributed in schools in Mifflin and Juniata Counties, as well as public libraries. The brochure will be an explanation of Mifflin County Summer Science Youth Camp. (At least 350 brochures will be distributed.) Communication Principles: The value of Summer Science Youth Camp will be boosted if teachers in Mifflin and Juniata counties support and publicize the camp, also if stories are run in local papers across these counties Providing vivid pictures of past campers engaged in unique and exciting experiments can enhance visual communication. Visually or verbally, keep messages tight and consistent. Feature stories about past campers and their experience with summer Science Camp will employ an episodic frame. They should be processed peripherally because there are no strong arguments being made and the source used will be deemed as extremely credible. Evaluation The success of the campaign will be measured by how well each objective is met. Tracking the news and speaking to teachers about how they publicized camp can measure the level of parent awareness of camp. Enrollment will be a sufficient measure of success. Attitudinal goals will be somewhat harder to track but post campaign surveys will provide good indications of whether the campaign was a success. Informational: To increase parent awareness of Mifflin County Summer Science Youth Camp from 32% to 50% by June 1, 2011 through local print media and promotion in relevant school districts. Conducting a content analysis of media from April 2011 – June 2011, and then comparing the number of articles that appear in the media from April 2010 – June 2010 to see if coverage increased from the previous year, will measure this objective. Also, brief

interviews of teachers in local school districts will reveal if they publicized the camp. Finally, a post campaign survey of parents in Mifflin and Juniata counties will show if our goal was met. Behavioral: To have maximum enrollment (25 students) of Summer Science Youth Camp by the camp registration deadline. This objective will be measured by whether or not maximum enrollment is met by the registration deadline. Attitudinal: Encourage parents to register their children for Summer Science Youth Camp. Currently, 44% of parents surveyed said they were unsure if they would send their child to science camp; our goal is to decrease parent uncertainty from 44% to 20% by June 1, 2011. This objective will be measured by conducting a post campaign survey of parents in Mifflin and Juniata counties.

For Immediate Release Extension 1 of 2 Dr. Kirk A. Gilbert Science Instructor and Coordinator Phone: 717-248-9618 E-mail: MifflinExt@psu.edu XXXXXX

Extension Seeks “Explorers” for Summer Science Youth Camp

LEWISTOWN, PA - Children looking to explore science in an exciting environment, should attend the Mifflin County Summer Science Youth Camp. Mifflin County Cooperative Extension is offering the Summer Science Youth Camp for a second year. The program aims to encourage students to explore beyond their horizons to encourage a life-long love of science and a better future. “Our goal is to provide the opportunity for our local youth to participate in a fun-filled week of activities right here in our community and to make them aware of the many career choices available in the science industry” said Kirk Gilbert, science instructor and coordinator at the Learning Center. The five-day Summer Science Youth Camp is designed for students entering the seventh and eighth grades. The program aims to inspire youth to have fun while learning. For a $100 fee the camp provides lab materials, field trips, lab coats and camp t-shirts as well as lunch and snacks. The camp offers activities such as simulation labs, lab experiments and career exploration. Past field trips include an outing to Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center and a tour of the Lewistown Hospital and Drayer Physical Therapy Institute. For registration information, contact the Mifflin County Extension office at 717-248-9618.

-MORE-

Extension 2 of 2 The mission of the Penn State Cooperative Extension is to enhance the quality of life of Pennsylvanians by providing non-formal outreach educational opportunities to individuals, families, businesses, and communities throughout the commonwealth. Extension provides educational programs to enable the commonwealth to maintain a well rounded, educational, and financially responsible lifestyle as well as to prepare youth, adults and families to engage in making good personal financial decisions. Visit mifflin.extension.psu.edu.

###

For Immediate Release STEM 1 of 2 Dr. Kirk A. Gilbert Science Instructor and Coordinator Phone: 717-248-9618 E-mail: MifflinExt@psu.edu XXXXXX

Mifflin County Promotes STEM Initiative

LEWISTOWN, PA - Several counties in central Pennsylvania are implementing programs to accelerate the STEM initiative. STEM refers to a nationwide initiative to increase educational programs and careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Mifflin County Cooperative Extension has found a way to continue STEM education initiatives into the summer with the Summer Science Youth Camp. The Summer Science Youth Camp is a weeklong camp for seventh and eighth graders that enables the exploration of science and technology. The Summer Science Youth Camp encourages students in Juniata and Mifflin Counties to participate in learning through non-traditional methods. Hands on lab experiments, scientific competitions and field trips expose campers to the aspects of STEM that will prepare them for higher education.

Mifflin County Cooperative Extension utilizes resources from educators and students at Penn State University to implement STEM programs to students in and around Mifflin County. Through university affiliated resources Mifflin County Cooperative Extension works to ensure students in the area graduate with the necessary skill sets to succeed in science, technology, engineering and math.

The 2011 camp session will be the second year of the Summer Science Youth Camp. A registration fee of one hundred dollars covers snacks, lab fees and field trip expenses in addition to providing students with their own personal lab coat. Registration is limited to the first twenty-five applicants. For more information on the Summer Science Youth Camp, including how to register children for the camp, visit Mifflin County Cooperative Extension’s website at mifflin.extension.psu.edu.

-MORE-

STEM 2 of 2 The mission of the Penn State Cooperative Extension is to enhance the quality of life of Pennsylvanians by providing non-formal outreach educational opportunities to individuals, families, businesses, and communities throughout the commonwealth. Extension provides educational programs to enable the commonwealth to maintain a well rounded, educational, and financially responsible lifestyle as well as to prepare youth, adults and families to engage in making good personal financial decisions. Visit mifflin.extension.psu.edu.

###

For Immediate Release Science 1 of 2 Dr. Kirk A. Gilbert Science Instructor and Coordinator Phone: 717-248-9618 E-mail: MifflinExt@psu.edu XXXXXX

Importance of Science Is Recognized Through Local Program

LEWISTOWN, PA - The importance of science in everyday life can be easily overlooked, but with new science camps and programs, the subject is starting to gain the appreciation and attention it deserves. The Mifflin County Summer Science Youth Camp will soon be in its second year of providing children with a chance to explore the world of science. “Our goal is to provide the opportunity for our local youth to participate in a fun-filled week of activities right here in our community and to make them aware of the many career choices available in the science industry” said Kirk Gilbert, science instructor and coordinator at the Learning Center.

It is important to expose children to science because as time changes and our world becomes more technologically inclined, science will become more heavily depended on as a profession. The recent traumatic oil spill in the Gulf Coast heavily relied on scientists to report on the analysis proving the “three-quarters of the oil had been eliminated.” (New York Times). The government constantly relies on scientists to prove to society the truth with their extensive knowledge on the subject. Scientists are the backbone of new research. Recently, the Science News magazine published an article about how scientists found, “Mars was much more active in the relatively recent past, with volcanoes erupting and water flowing on its surface within the past 100 million years.” Finding cures for diseases that are currently incurable and creating technologies that will better our world can only happen with the help of scientists. Science may not always be of interest to children, but there are ways to make the subject more interesting. Mixing fun and science can be the perfect cure to overcoming the stereotype that science is "boring".

-MORE-

Science 2 of 2 The Mifflin County Summer Science Youth Camp welcomes incoming 7th and 8th graders this upcoming summer for a five-day science camp experience. Campers will look into the world of science by performing lab experiments, simulation labs, hands-on activities, and taking field trips. For information on registration, contact the Mifflin County Extension offices at 717-248-9618. The mission of the Penn State Cooperative Extension is to enhance the quality of life of Pennsylvanians by providing non-formal outreach educational opportunities to individuals, families, businesses, and communities throughout the commonwealth. Extension provides educational programs to enable the commonwealth to maintain a well rounded, educational, and financially responsible lifestyle as well as to prepare youth, adults and families to engage in making good personal financial decisions. Visit mifflin.extension.psu.edu.

###

Extension Fact Sheet 1 of 2

Penn State Cooperative Extension Fact Sheet

History: 1862 – Morril Act establishes one university in every state to teach agriculture and mechanical arts 1867 – Hatch Act establishes agricultural research at each land grant university 1914 – Smith Lever Act established Cooperative Extension at each university for practical instruction and demonstration in agriculture and home economics

Mission: Penn State Cooperative Extension offers practical, how-to education and problem-solving assistance based on university research. Extension strives to help people make informed decisions to better their lives, businesses and communities.

Programs and Issue Areas: The Penn State Cooperative Extension provides resources and expertise to issues such as, agriculture, families, horticulture and gardening, economic and community development, natural resources, nutrition and 4-H youth development programs.

• Small Business Development Center: The SBDC provides free, confidential consulting services to individuals looking to start or grow a small business. This past year SBDC created six jobs and helped start three new businesses across Mifflin and Juniata Counties.

• Penn State Learning Center: Provides quality, affordable educational opportunities for the residents of the Juniata Valley

• REACH Network: Rural Embedded Assistance for Community Health. A collaborative effort between Penn State University, Penn State College of Medicine and the Penn State Learning Center, REACH works to proactively address central Pennsylvania rural health issues of older adults.

• 4-H: A youth development program that teaches leadership, citizenship and life skills; Mifflin County 4-H served 2,593 youth this past year.

• Production Agriculture: Extension strives to support and advise Juniata and Mifflin County farmers who produce $155 million worth of crop and livestock products annually.

-MORE-

Extension Fact Sheet 2 of 2

• Agricultural Engineering: Strives to enhance the comfort, welfare and ultimate production of Mifflin and Juniata Counties’ more than 20,000 dairy cows

• Farm Management: Supports agricultural business by providing information on budgeting, financial benchmarking, cost of production and return on investment. This past year farm management served 862 participants in Juniata and Mifflin Counties.

• Family & Consumer Science: Educates individuals and families in the Juniata and Mifflin Counties on a number of topics including coping in difficult economic times, safe food handling and childcare

• Nutritional Education: Provides individuals and families with the education, practical skills and support they need to change their eating behaviors and discover a healthier lifestyle.

• West Nile Virus: Extension has enhanced surveillance of the virus statewide and implemented control techniques in an effort to protect individuals.

Key Trends Affecting Extension: -Science and technology (better research, new ways to educate, more productivity) -Changing demographics in the U.S. -Globalization -Economy -Environmental issues/sustainable development Funding: Penn State Cooperative Extension is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, state and county governments and grants. The mission of the Penn State Cooperative Extension is to enhance the quality of life of Pennsylvanians by providing non-formal outreach educational opportunities to individuals, families, businesses, and communities throughout the commonwealth. Extension provides educational programs to enable the commonwealth to maintain a well rounded, educational, and financially responsible lifestyle as well as to prepare youth, adults and families to engage in making good personal financial decisions. Visit mifflin.extension.psu.edu.

###

Science Fact Sheet 1 of 2

Mifflin County Summer Science Youth Camp

Fact Sheet General Science Camp Information: Created in the summer of 2010, the Mifflin County Summer Science Youth Camp strives to combine learning and fun. Children at the science camp take part in team building activities, lab experiments, simulation labs, hands-on activities and field trips.

This camp provides children with the chance to learn about the world of science from experienced individuals. Mifflin County Extension started this camp to create an opportunity for children to take science out of their classroom and apply it into the real world. Program Information: • Program Director:

• Dr. Kirk Gilbert, science instructor/coordinator & rural health educator located at the Penn State learning center, health and science lab

• Audience: • Students entering 7th and 8th grades. Enrollment is limited to 25 campers per session.

• Location: • Penn State learning center, health and science lab

• Camp Activities:

• Campers participate in team-building activities, lab experiments, simulations, competitions, outdoor activities and field trips.

• Last year, campers went on field trips to Shaver’s Creek and a local hospital where they

focused on learning about career options. • Summer Science Youth Camp aims to grow tomorrow’s leaders, bringing science out of the classroom and into the community.

Science Camp Fact Sheet 2 of 2 The mission of the Penn State Cooperative Extension is to enhance the quality of life of Pennsylvanians by providing non-formal outreach educational opportunities to individuals, families, businesses, and communities throughout the commonwealth. Extension provides educational programs to enable the commonwealth to maintain a well rounded, educational, and financially responsible lifestyle as well as to prepare youth, adults and families to engage in making good personal financial decisions. Visit mifflin.extension.psu.edu.

###

Extension Backgrounder 1 of 2

General Extension Information Penn State Cooperative Extension is an educational network to 67 counties across Pennsylvania offering access to Penn State’s resources and expertise. Penn State Extension provides educational programs to benefit and strengthen families, individuals, children and the elderly. Extension helps build safe, healthy communities by applying university research findings to the counties of Pennsylvania. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and state and county governments fund it. The extension network is a part of Penn State Outreach and Cooperative Extension along with continuing education, distance education/world campus and public broadcasting programs. History of Cooperative Extension -1862 - Morril Act established one college in each state to teach agriculture and

mechanic arts. -1867 - Hatch Act established agricultural research at each Land Grant University -1914 - Smith Lever Act established Cooperative Extension for instruction and practical

demonstration in agriculture and home economics

Programs and Areas of Interest - Pennsylvania 4H - Community financial issues - Disaster and emergency preparedness - Renewable resources and bioenergy - Organic and sustainable agriculture - Wildlife damage management Summer Science Youth Camp Penn State Cooperative Extension provides students with the opportunity to explore the field of science hands on with the summer science youth camp. Summer Science Camp has students participate in hands on lab experiments, friendly competitions and field trips campers to expose children to some subjects they will encounter in higher education. The camp works to jumpstart students’ interest in science technology engineering and math by utilizing the facilities, resources and students of Penn State University.

- MORE-

Extension Backgrounder 2 of 2

For more information about the Summer Science Youth Camp contact Mifflin Extension at MifflinExt@psu.edu or 717-248-9618.

The mission of the Penn State Cooperative Extension is to enhance the quality of life of Pennsylvanians by providing non-formal outreach educational opportunities to individuals, families, businesses, and communities throughout the commonwealth. Extension provides educational programs to enable the commonwealth to maintain a well rounded, educational, and financially responsible lifestyle as well as to prepare youth, adults and families to engage in making good personal financial decisions. Visit mifflin.extension.psu.edu.

###

For Immediate Release Camp 1 of 1 For Media Planning Purposes Only Dr. Kirk A. Gilbert Science Instructor and Coordinator Phone: 717-248-9618 E-mail: MifflinExt@psu.edu

Cooperative Extension’s Summer Science Youth Camp

LEWISTOWN, PA - The Mifflin County Cooperative Extension will host its second annual Summer Science Youth Camp. The program focuses on instilling a lifelong love for science in a fun and enjoyable environment for children in the seventh and eighth grade. Through simulation labs, lab experiments and career exploration young children are provided with the tools for a successful career in science. “Our goal is to provide the opportunity for our local youth to participate in a fun-filled week of activities, said Kirk Gilbert, science instructor and coordinator at the Learning Center. “We want to make them aware of the many career choices available in the science industry.” WHO: Mifflin County Cooperative Extension offers science camp for middle school

children in the Mifflin and Juniata counties. WHAT: Summer Science Youth Camp WHEN: TBA WHERE: TBA WHY: Inspire youth to have fun with science, while learning life skills. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please contact the Mifflin County Extension office at

717-248-9618.

###

XXXXXX

Carol Smith Lewistown Sentinel Old Route 22 West Mifflintown, PA 17059 Dear Carol,

Summer is quickly approaching and many 7th and 8th grade students are looking forward to relaxing days filled with anything but learning. But students who signed up for Mifflin County Summer Science Youth Camp will discover that spending their summer days doing science and learning isn’t so bad. Through exciting competitions and creative experiments students will exercise problem-solving skills that they can take back to school in the fall. Summer Science Youth Camp not only gets students learning during the summer but improves the way they learn in class and life overall. Students will leave camp with improved critical thinking skills and a newfound confidence towards science, technology, engineering and math. The Lewistown Sentinel could feature a story throughout June 2011 about how Mifflin Co. Summer Science Youth Camp develops problem-solving skills that students will use and build on for the rest of their education and life. The story could include testimonials from campers about how their camp experience is continuing to help them learn in the classroom. If you have any questions about Summer Science Youth Camp, Penn State Cooperative Extension, or any other inquiries I am available via email or phone, Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Sincerely,

Kirk A. Gilbert Science Instructor and Coordinator

For Immediate Release Science Camp Feature 1 of 2 Dr. Kirk A. Gilbert Science Instructor and Coordinator Phone: 717-248-9618 E-mail: MifflinExt@psu.edu XXXXXX

Science Camp Offers More Than Just Fun

LEWISTOWN, PA - For many, memories of summer camp bring about nostalgia for building friendships, sitting around campfires and eating cafeteria food. For Kyle Harshbarger and other Mifflin County Summer Science Youth Campers, camp provided them with more than just memories. The science camp made them more critical thinkers with sharpened problem solving skills. Harshbarger, 14, who spends his time playing basketball and hunting instead of thinking about science, had never really considered going to science camp. But when the five-day camp, run by the Mifflin County Cooperative Extension, was announced in school it seemed kind of cool, said Harshbarger. Later the same day he got a flyer for the camp and took it home to his parents. “Before camp they gave us a paper about what camp would be like, I expected to just be sitting there,” said Harshbarger. “We actually did a lot of hands on stuff and learned why we were doing it.” Each day started with Harshbarger and the other campers being taught a new science related topic. The topic was explored throughout the day with lab experiments. Harshbarger found learning about arteries and how they close and open up the most interesting part of camp. “We did really fun dissections of a chicken heart, and as a group dissected a cow heart,” he said. Other experiments included making alka seltzer rockets, extracting DNA from strawberries, caring for simulated patients and collecting bacteria from handrails, doorknobs and other public fixtures.

-MORE-

Science Camp Feature 2 of 2

Each day of camp was different based on the topic of the day, but everyday involved doing science first hand. Harshbarger described camp as exciting and fun but was surprised to find how much he really learned at camp when it was time to go back to school in the fall. Harshbarger is currently in chemistry and learning about atoms. Experiments his class is learning about are similar to the ones he actually did at camp, he said.

“Also the way we solved problems at camp is the same way I solve problems in class now,” said Harshbarger. When asked about camp, Harshbarger told friends that it wasn’t like learning about science and sitting around for a day listening. Doing real science made campers excited about science, work through problems and critically think about things. All along the way campers were guided by counselors who were really fun, got to know the campers and helped out, said Harshbarger. Harshbarger said he would go back to the Mifflin County Summer Science Youth Camp if he could and he would recommend the camp to other kids, “it was a lot better than sitting through science class.” The mission of the Penn State Cooperative Extension is to enhance the quality of life of Pennsylvanians by providing non-formal outreach educational opportunities to individuals, families, businesses, and communities throughout the commonwealth. Extension provides educational programs to enable the commonwealth to maintain a well rounded, educational, and financially responsible lifestyle as well as to prepare youth, adults and families to engage in making good personal financial decisions. Visit mifflin.extension.psu.edu.

###

Start Date: Kill Date: Dr. Kirk A. Gilbert Science Instructor and Coordinator 152 E. Market St. Phone: 717-248-9618 E-mail: MifflinExt@psu.edu

Public Service Announcement

: 20 HEY CAMPERS! THE SCHOOL YEAR IS ENDING AND

SUMMER IS ALMOST HERE. BUT, YOU DON’T HAVE TO

STOP YOUR EXPERIMENTS JUST YET. MIDDLE

SCHOOLERS IN THE MIFFLIN AND JUNIATA COUNTIES

CAN ATTEND THE SUMMER SCIENCE YOUTH CAMP.

EXPERIENCE SCIENCE MADE FUN, ENJOY INTERACTIVE

ACTIVITIES AND MEET SOME GREAT PEOPLE. CALL

7-1-7-2-4-8-9-6-1-8 TODAY FOR MORE INFORMATION.

###

Start Date: Kill Date: Dr. Kirk A. Gilbert Science Instructor and Coordinator 152 E. Market St. Phone: 717-248-9618 E-mail: MifflinExt@psu.edu

Public Service Announcement

: 15 THE SCHOOL YEAR IS ENDING, BUT EXPERIMENTS IN

THE SCIENCE LAB SHOULDN’T. KIDS IN THE MIFFLIN

AND JUNIATA COUNTIES CAN JOIN THE SUMMER

SCIENCE YOUTH CAMP AND EXPERIENCE SCIENCE

MADE FUN. CALL 7-1-7-2-4-8-9-6-1-8 TODAY FOR MORE

INFORMATION.

###

Website Evaluation At first glance the Mifflin County Cooperative Extension website looks very neat and organized. The light colors make the website easy to focus on and attention is immediately drawn to the pretty picture of the bridge. Extension’s contact info is available right on the main page including address, phone, fax, email, and office hours. Having this information quickly available without any links involved is a very user-friendly decision because people often go to websites to find phone numbers and office hours. While looking around the site for the first few minutes it has a few great features. The current issues box on the left side is a good way for Extension to appear up to date and interested in community education. There is also a search bar listed on the main page, which is a very user-friendly option for site navigation. The contact info under the about us tab is very well done. Each contact person’s email is listed, along with their title and program area so visitors can be sure they are contacting the correct person. If a change were to be made to the contact info phone numbers could also be included. It seems a little impersonal that only email addresses are provided. The publications tab is also a great feature; however this is where some of the website’s problem spots start to appear. After navigating around the site for a few minutes it becomes very unclear what page is the actual Extension page. Each time a link is clicked visitors are brought to a new page, losing the page they had currently been on without a Home button to click for a return. If there was an additional link the viewer was interested in they must re-navigate their way to the home page to find it again. This can be a little frustrating and time consuming. One way to correct this problem would be to have a Home button on each new page that is activated, or open up a new tab for links instead of having it replace the main page. It is unclear where information on the science camp would be located. Even though the science camp is seasonal it would be beneficial to have a blurb about it all year for parents or teachers who hear about the program. While it may not be able to talk about the upcoming camp session, it could discuss the success of the previous year’s camp and remind visitors to return for more information closer to summer. There are quite a few inconsistencies throughout the website. Some of the tabs (about us and region) have links back to the home page, but all others do not. If two of the tabs have return links then all tabs should for more consistent navigation. There is a large difference visually between the main page and the various links. All of the material on the main page is located in the upper left corner with a ton a white space on the right and bottom. While white space is not bad, it almost looks like half of a webpage. It also creates a large imbalance between the main page and the larger, more colorful pages visitors are brought to when they click on links. Spreading the material out across the page, and keeping the same general color scheme would make the page more balanced and uniform across the site.

Gilbert 1 of 2 Kirk A. Gilbert, Ph. D Science Instructor/Coordinator & Rural Health Educator Since the opening in the summer of 2010, Dr. Kirk A. Gilbert

serves as the Director of the Mifflin County Summer Science Youth

Camp. Gilbert has been studying the world of Science for more than

26 years, becoming an established researcher, speaker, and teacher.

Gilbert is the head of a summer camp that lets kids explore science

through hands on activities.

In addition to serving as the Director for the Summer Science Youth Camp, Gilbert is a science

instructor, coordinator and rural health educator at the Penn State learning center in Lewistown,

Pennsylvania.

Gilbert has an energy for teaching, specifically physiology and anatomy, cell and molecular

biology, neurophysiology and neuroscience, and biology. He has taught at the Pennsylvania State

University under the College of Medicine, a medical school at the Hershey Medical Center, as

well as multiple Penn State classes including human physiology and anatomy. Gilbert has written

multiple publications such as Pontomedullary neurons transsynaptically labeled by laryngeal

pseudorabies virus, Hormonal control of compensatory lung growth, and Increased lung

inflation induces gene expression following

Pneumonectomy.

-MORE-

Gilbert 2 of 2

Gilbert has received a plethora of awards including a three-time winner of the National Research

Service Award from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, two oral presentation awards

from The Pennsylvania State University, and the Scholl Fellowship from the National Sudden

Infant Death Syndrome Foundation.

Gilbert received his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of California Irvine and his

doctorate in philosophy from the Pennsylvania State University. He is a member of the society

for Neuroscience, the American Physiological Society, and the Sigma Xi Scientific Research

Society.