GSSV Gazette

September 2022

Longwood University Visit

Our juniors on both campuses spent a day at Longwood University touring their science facilities and learning more about the research process and opportunities in the science field. The students learned about current research that many Longwood students are conducting such as experiments with crawdads from the Chesapeake Bay, zebrafish, cancer, and rats to name a few. Longwood also hosted the students in the dining hall for lunch where students were able to talk with current STEM LU students. It was a wonderful day and our students returned to campus with ideas about their own research projects that they will start in the Spring semester.

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Dr. Gene Olinger Speaks to GSSV Juniors

As an extension of reading The Hot Zone, microbiologist Dr. Olinger spent the morning with the Keysville juniors via Zoom earlier this month. Dr. Olinger is employed by MRI Global, teaches for Boston University and Kanas City University and has worked in Hot Zones in Africa, contributed to the creation of vaccines, and is currently working on the organism specimens from Mars! We truly appreciate the time he carved out for our students and the Alberta juniors look forward to talking with him once they begin the book later this semester.

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Ronnie Franklin -- Future Actor

Ronnie Franklin, a GSSV STEM student and a senior at Greensville High School, completed the American Shakespeare Company three-week summer camp in Staunton by performing a total of three roles in two plays performed on the Blackfriars Playhouse stage. In the Elizabethan comedy Mucedorus, Ronnie, as the King of Valentia, worried for his missing son. In his major role in Shakespeare's play The Winter's Tale, Ronnie portrayed the tyrannous King Leontes, whose jealousy results in severe suffering until love is found again. Ronnie had this to say about this life-changing experience, "My summer at the American Shakespeare Center's Theatre Camp (ASCTC) will remain one of the most influential periods of my life. I always had an interest in theater and was recommended to ASCTC by my English instructor, Mrs. Kidd. In camp, I was surrounded by actors who were leagues ahead of me and through their guidance, I auditioned and landed a lead role in our final production. I left camp not only with a lifetime's worth of knowledge but also with friendships that will last my lifetime. I am already looking forward to attending next year. "

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Blair Dickens Gives Back

Greensville junior Blair Dickens is known around her community for always being involved and wanting to give back. This summer when she spent time tutoring at the local elementary school, Blair noticed that the students very rarely had pencils and teachers were constantly giving them out without getting them back. She decided to collect pencils from the community all throughout the school year and distribute them to all the schools in her area. If you would like to contribute, please send some pencils to GSSV Alberta Campus (Attention GSSV, 109 Campus Drive, Alberta, VA 23821), and we will make sure Blair gets them.

Classroom on a Boat

Keysville STEM seniors in BIO 101 spent the day with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation aboard a research vessel as an extension to the topics and concepts they have been learning in the classroom! Students learned about the diverse local flora and fauna of the rivers in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and were able to perform numerous chemical analyses on water samples (nitrates, phosphates, turbidity, pH, and dissolved oxygen). Threats such as pollution, invasive species, and algal blooms were explored and discussed. Students performed multiple otter trawls to pull up large nets brimming with crabs, eels, and fish. (Bald eagles, herons, and a sturgeon were surprise visitors!) This was a fantastic experience as the students continue to study the unity and diversity of life!