[July 29, 2011] UTPA science camp combines learning, confidence-building Tweet EDINBURG, Jul 29, 2011 (The Monitor - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Two small hands clutched the hood of Jennifer Zamora's gray sweater, stretching its cloth across her shy, yet broad smile. Sitting in the hallway of the University of Texas-Pan American's engineering building Thursday, the 12-year-old nervously explained why she loved participating in a two-week ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp. "We do a lot of experiments. I do some at home," Jennifer said behind the sweater. "It is really fun, but I'm not used to being around so many people. "I was so nervous (organizers) wouldn't pick me. But I love science. I want to be a doctor." The camp, which required participants to undergo a rigorous selection process, throws nearly 50 local middle school students into solar panel research, robotics engineering, sea turtle studies and more. Coordinator Jeannette Broshears, UTPA associate dean of students, said Jennifer, a Sauceda Middle School student from Donna, was beyond timid when she faced the interview panel. "She comes from a very poor background and barely made any eye contact," Broshears said. "But the point of this camp is to infuse these students with the feeling that they are as smart as anyone, even despite their background. "We see the maturity develop in just two weeks," Broshears said. "You can see the change in (Jennifer)." Indeed, once Jennifer finished speaking with a Monitor reporter and returned to her peers to help redesign and reprogram their Lego Mindsets robot, the youngster immediately turned into one of the more gregarious students in the classroom. As other students added destructive arms and weapons to their four-wheeled robots, Jennifer -- who touted the "intelligence and smarts" of her own -- decided on a new strategy. "We may need to make it stronger now," she said. "Strength could be a valuable addition." Though she wasn't confident her robot would win a head-to-head battle with another, Jennifer had no doubts her experience at the camp would help her win once she returns to school. "I always have a good group of friends," she said. "This helped me want a bigger group. I'm not scared to talk to different people now. "I just have to do projects and play with people I don't know. I'm not shy anymore." Neal Morton covers education and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4472. To see more of The Monitor, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.themonitor.com. Copyright (c) 2011, The Monitor, McAllen, Texas Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]