University Hosts Programs for Area Elementary, Middle and High School Students
The University of Scranton is encouraging students from local school districts to test their math and science knowledge at several separate competitions, or to learn about art, history and culture through gallery workshops, theater productions or even through a performance by an internationally renown opera company. The competitions, workshops and performances are offered during the spring semester.
Gallery workshops featuring the works of artist Jennie Brownscombe, a Honesdale native, are offered during the exhibit’s run, now through to Friday, March 18, at the Hope Horn Gallery.
According to Darlene Miller-Lanning, Ph.D., director of the Hope Horn Gallery, the free, hands-on workshops can be developed around a variety of themes including “Women in the Arts” for Women’s History Month; “Interpretations of History in Art,” or the relationship between art and popular illustration. For more information, call Dr. Miller-Lanning at 941-4214.
On Thursday, April 7, the University will host its eighth annual Kane Competition, beginning at 9 a.m. The daylong contest is intended to encourage talented high school students to pursue careers in physics and engineering and also serves as preparation for Advanced Placement tests.
In this year’s competition, which is themed “Energy,” students in teams of five to seven will study energy in every form, including use, conversion and more, said competition organizer Jeremy Sepinsky, Ph.D., assistant professor of physics at The University of Scranton. Students can expect experiments studying the energy of water and fire, such as how a water wheel can be used to generate energy and how fire can be used to create and liberate energy. The competition will also incorporate gravitational energy by examining how frictional forces cause cars to stop at a certain spot on a road.
At the Kane Competition, students also compete individually for a $2,000 scholarship award to The University of Scranton in tests that include a Jeopardy-style quiz that focuses on general physics knowledge. Questions on the quiz are similar to those found on the Advanced Placement physics test.
The competition will take place in the Byron Recreation Complex and pre-registration is required. For more information, contact Dr. Sepinsky at sepinskyj2@scranton.edu or the department secretary at 941-7509.
The 17th annual Computer Programming Contest will take place on Friday, April 8, at the University. Throughout the four-hour competition, each team will try to solve six computer programming problems using any of a number of programming languages.
Plaques will be presented to the first-, second- and third-place teams at an awards banquet immediately following the competition. In addition, each member of the winning team will be awarded a $500 scholarship to the Jesuit university.
Pre-registration is required. For information about the Computer Programming Contest, contact Robert McCloskey, Ph.D., assistant professor of computing sciences, at mccloskeyr1@scranton.edu or 941-7774.
Area students can discover the enchantment of the Chinese Opera at a hands-on demonstration on Thursday, April 14, at noon in the DeNaples Center by Taiwan’s Bangzi Opera Company. Their presentation of the Carnival of Chinese Opera will feature a range of hands-on activities and will include a demonstration to introduce students to the characteristics and major roles of the Chinese Opera. Although offered free of charge, reservations are required. Contact Ann Pang-White, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Philosophy Department and director of the Asian Studies Concentration at Scranton. at 941-6312 or pangwhitea2@scranton.edu.
The University of Scranton Players offers a free matinee performance for area high school students for each of their theater productions. Reservations are required to attend. For performance dates and information, contact Maria Landis, research compliance coordinator, at 941-6190.
The University of Scranton’s Mathematics Department will hold its fourth annual Integration Bee Wednesday, April 27, beginning at 4:30 p.m. According to Jennifer Franko Vasquez, Ph.D., assistant professor of mathematics, an Integration Bee is like a spelling bee but contestants must calculate integrals instead of spelling words. Questions in the bee will help students hone their skills for Advanced Placement mathematics tests.
In the first round of the bee, participants will evaluate approximately 15 to 20 definite integrals. Five participants in each category move onto the final round, where they will attempt to find an anti-derivative of a single real variable function within two minutes.
The bee, offered free of charge, will be held in the McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center and dinner will be provided. For more information, contact Dr. Vasquez at 941-6113 or vasquezj3@scranton.edu.
The University of Scranton also hosts one of 14 Pennsylvania Centers for Economic Education, each of which conducts its own Stock Market Game competition. The Stock Market Game is a 10-week simulation during which students from three grade categories (4-6, 7-8, 9-12) invest an imaginary $100,000 by buying stocks listed on the major securities exchanges (New York, American and NASDAQ). Students who compete in the game learn how financial markets operate and hone their mathematics and decision making skills. Separate 10-week competitions are held in the fall and spring. For additional information about the Stock Market Game, contact Edward Scahill, Ph.D., professor of economics, at 941-4187.
