Go Green Institute

7/9/2012 (Updated 11:17:50 PM)

(Source: Kate Thornton)

James Edwards, a Vestal student going into the 8th grade, was getting more than just a physical workout Monday afternoon. He was also exercising his mind by riding a bicycle, hooked to an electric generator. James created energy to light up light bulbs. 

That was just one of the many experiments the Southern Tier's brightest seventh graders will be doing at Binghamton University's Fifth Annual Go Green Institute.  The camp is designed to excite students about science, math, and engineering.

"I'm really into math, and I'm really into science.  I really wanted to take the next step since this is what I want to do when I get older," said James. 

James is one of more than 50 students from 30 school districts in the Southern Tier that will get real world experience working on sustainable energy projects.

"It's cool to like science again," said Binghamton University Sophomore Amanda Kupst.  "Everyone here likes it, enjoys it, and they can really get into it."  Kupst, a pre-med major, is volunteering at the Go Green Institute.

Camp alumni who also volunteer said it's an experience you can't get in the classroom.

"It's a lot more hands on stuff than what you would normally do during regular school hours," said Spencer Van Etten sophomore Megan Holman.  "Everyone here wants to be here, so you don't have the distractions you would normally have in regular classroom."  Holman participated in the camp two years ago.

"Here you are going into things that you wouldn't be able to do in the middle school classroom because everyone here is interested in science," said Vestal senior Natsuko Suzuki.  "You can focus in and do all these cool experiments at the university, and you can see more deeply into the field, and I think that helps a lot." Suzuki, who also attended the camp when after seventh grade, plans on majoring in pre-med next year when she starts college.

Go Green will take place from July 9-20th.  In those ten days, the students will explore issues of science, math, engineering and psychology as they relate to creating a sustainable living environment.  They will experiment in the lab and take field trips to the University's Nature Preserve and Center of Excellence.

The kids like the idea that their peddling not only advances their experiments, but could help everyone on a journey to a greener future.