GSSV Gazette

September 2023

Field Trip Fun

Longwood University

All juniors had the opportunity to explore different scientific fields including chemistry, microbiology, ecology, and anatomy and physiology on their trip to Longwood University in September. They were able to examine a genuine human brain, view the contrast between a healthy lung and a smoker's lung, and inoculate their own petri dish with bioluminescent bacteria while working side-by-side with some of Longwood's science professors and touring the Chichester Science Center. They even had the opportunity to talk with some of Longwood's current students and visit with former GSSV students while having lunch in D Hall.

Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Brock Environmental Center

Keysville STEM seniors spent a day aboard a research vessel in the Chesapeake Bay as an extension of the topics and concepts they have been learning in the classroom. Students learned about the diverse local flora and fauna of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and were able to perform numerous chemical analyses on water samples. 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 squid, crabs, eels, and fish. Each student was able to hoist a crab trap to view the different species as well.

First Landing State Park

Alberta seniors traveled to First Landing State Park to canoe the shore with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. They learned about three types of pollution threatening the Bay: nutrients, toxins, and sediments. Students explored a tidal saltwater marsh, gathered biotic bouquets, bird watched, and identified macroinvertebrate species. They were even able to enter the water to net fish for species. Students were also able to spend some time on the Boardwalk at Virginia Beach.

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Guest Speakers

Nautilus Zoom

The Keysville juniors had the opportunity to Zoom to a research vessel in the middle of the Pacific Ocean to learn about the innovative instruments that are exploring our world's oceans that will enhance our deep-water habitat scientific knowledge. The scientists who joined us discussed the multibeam sonar system that is used to produce detailed maps of the seafloor and they explained and showed footage of the state-of-the-art remote-operated vehicles (ROVs) collecting a variety of biological, geological, chemical, and archaeological samples.

NASA Visits

NASA representative visited SVCC to speak with our students about the opportunities available to them: OSTEM Internships, Pathways Internships, Engineering Technical Apprentice Program, Pre-Apprentice Technician Program, and Student Volunteer Program. This was a very informative program about all the possibilities through NASA for our students.

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Motter Earns Eagle Scout

Daniel Barrett Motter, a senior GSSV and Prince Edward student, earned his Eagle Scout Rank earlier this year. He has been a member of the Scouts BSA since the third grade. He states that, "Boy Scouts has been a major part of my life since I joined the organization. It has taught me many significant life lessons while also shaping the values with which I carry myself. The most important value that I learned through Scouting is community service. Serving others is a major part of being a Boy Scout, and it was the part that I enjoyed most during my time in the organization." While with the Scouts, Barrett participated in not only large projects that his community benefited from but also learned the importance of small actions such as holding a door open that make a difference to someone's day. Barrett truly believes that the lessons he learned during his Scouting years will serve him well as he finishes high school and even into college and adulthood.

Fall Community Service Project

As a full school, both Alberta and Keysville students will fill shoeboxes for Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child. We have a goal of filling a minimum of 20 boxes total, which means 10 at each campus. Over the next month, please collect and bring in items for our boxes. Some suggestions of items to bring in for both boys and girls: small stuffed animals or toys, personal care items individually wrapped, school supplies, flip flops, socks, hair accessories, hats, small puzzles, dry watercolor kits, and small books. There can be no food, liquids (including lotions), breakable items, or used items. We already have a spiral notebook, toothbrush, soap, washcloth, and a jump rope for each box thanks to a donation by Jamieson Memorial Methodist Church. We will be packing these boxes in early November, so all donations need to be in by the end of October.

More information can be found at https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/.

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Alumni Spotlight

For our first Alumni Spotlight, we'd like to highlight Marlee Wallace, a 2021 GSSV Graduate from Nottoway High School.

Marlee is attending the University of North Carolina-Wilmington (UNCW) and will be graduating in May 2024. Thanks to the Associate Degree she obtained while attending The Governor's School of Southside Virginia, she will be finishing her Bachelor's Degree in only three years. She is majoring in Clinical Research, with a minor in Biology. Her love for science and research grew through completing her research project and symposium at GSSV.

Marlee began a research study last year at UNCW titled "The Caregiver Burden of Patients with Glioblastoma Multiform (GBM) Feeling of Regret for Treatment Decision Associated with GBM Standard of Care Using Qualitative Analysis." The purpose of the research is to understand and address the needs of caregivers for patients with glioblastoma, a rare form of brain cancer. Her research is supported by a few grants, which she wrote to obtain funding for equipment and the time dedicated to the research. Through this qualitative study, Marlee has examined the brain cancer's impact of patients' families and caregivers and learned that the disease not only affects the patient's physical health but also their emotional and financial well-being.

Earlier in September, she presented her findings during a poster session at the UNCW Consortium of Academic Programs in Clinical Research (CoAPCR). In October, she will attend the American Association for Cancer Research's "Special Conference in Cancer Research: Brain Cancer" and present her research during a poster session. Additionally, she will present at two more UNCW poster sessions sponsored by the Center for the Support of Undergraduate Research and Fellowship (CSURF) and the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Academic Alliance. She plans to travel abroad upon graduation for clinical research opportunities in Portugal and Spain.

In addition to her academic studies, Marlee has been a Residential Assistant, a Summer Conference Assistant, and is a member of the UNCW Dance Company. Her experiences at GSSV truly have impacted her path at UNCW and she is grateful for the opportunity.

Parent Advisory Committee

In an effort to continue the partnership and communication with our parents, we will be reinstating a Parent Advisory Committee that will meet at least twice a year. We would like two parents from each participating high school (one junior parent and one senior parent) to be on this committee. These parents will be the liaison between the community and GSSV. Of course, direct communication with Mrs. Swain is still always welcome if there is an immediate or private concern.

These meetings will be in-person meetings. We will also hold one joint PAC meeting where parents from both campuses will meet together to discuss the growth of the program as a whole. If you are interested in serving on this committee, please complete the PAC Google Form by Friday, October 13.

Parent Emails

If you would like to be added to the parent email distribution list from Mrs. Swain and have not already completed the Google Form, please take a moment to do so. If you cannot access this form, please email Mrs. Swain with your email address and child's name to be manually added.