August 2, 2009
High School juniors and seniors from various Marshall County
High Schools took time out of their summer vacation to gets some
hands-on experience with robotics, fluid energy, and
biotechnology through programs sponsored by Snead State
Community College.
The camps, funded by a Department of Labor grant, were free to
the students. Students were offered a Robotics Camp July 6-10
and a Bio-Technology Camp July 13-17. The camps were held on the
Boaz campus of Snead State at the Technology Center.
Students learned several aspects of the robotics and
bio-technology fields, including manufacturing set-ups,
hydraulic and fluid power and programming robotic arms. During
the robotics camp, students not only learned how to work with
Snead State equipment, but they also were able to see robotic
assembly in action on two trips to the Inteva plant in Gadsden,
a Mercedes instrument panel and airbag assembly plant, and
Atrion Medical Products in Arab.
The kids at the Biotechnology camp took part in lab analysis on
various items to extract DNA. Most of the lab work were geared
towards DNA extraction and analysis. Students also performed lab
in enzyme and plasmid analysis, and they extracted DNA from
their cheek cells and also items such as fish and strawberries.
Students analyzed pedigrees and were introduced to genetic
testing and how the testing is used to try to predict cancer in
a family tree.
Students took a trip to Wallace State and performed crime scene
analysis with footprints and soil analysis. Students spent the
day at HudsonAlpha and worked with researchers in a professional
lab environment.
“I hope the students will see the exciting field of
biotechnology and robotics and become interested in studying
these particular career paths,” said Snead State’s Technology
Division Director Greg Randall. “These emerging fields are high
wage and high demand fields in the State of Alabama and need
bright young minds. I believe our high school students in the
State of Alabama are bright and have a great opportunity to work
in this field. This summer camp was just a way of exposing the
biotechnology and robotics career fields to young students in
hopes of gaining interest.”
