.jpg)
Student Science Training Program (SSTP)
Field Trips - Participant comments
| Magic Kingdom. |
.jpg) |
What can I say? Well, in short, it was magical. The name describes it perfectly. This field trip was amazing. Magic Kingdom truly is the happiest place on earth. It made everyone forget about the stress, forget about their worries, and focus on what was in front of them ... fun. No one worried about deadlines or papers. No one worried about cooking or cleaning. And no one worried about grades or credits. It was sheer fun. How can you not be happy in a place like that? When you are surrounded by memories of your past and the friends of your present, nothing can go wrong. Running around a park for 11 hours (dancing and screaming and singing) makes for the best time of your life. Everyone was smiling. Even when we were dripping wet, fresh off of Splash Mountain, we still managed to have smiles on our faces. It was hot and stinky and sweaty, but we didn’t care. We ran from here to there, getting lost along the way, but not really caring. We went on all the mountains, having a blast, even though we all know that Space Mountain is the best. We stood in lines, we ran up stairs, we strapped ourselves in and we blasted off! The Laugh Floor was amazing. It was one of the coolest parts. Not only was it hysterical but it was so cool how the animations responded to what we said. Even better than that was the PhilharMagic. No one expected it to be that awesome. Being squirted by water while wafting in the smell of apple pie, and having things zooming around your face, is what I’d call amazing. It brought back so many memories but the ones we created beat all the rest. I truly believe that we will never forget that trip. We’ll be a bunch of 80 year olds sitting around telling stores to our grandchildren about the best trip we ever took, during the best summer of our lives. I know that some people may not feel as strongly, but no matter what they say, there is no denying it. Magic Kingdom was amazing, and this summer was incredible. We’ve made friendships that will last a lifetime ... and truthfully, I don’t ever want it to end.
Laura Rose
| Busch Gardens |
.jpg) |
A visit to Busch Gardens implies certain responsibilities: the visitor HAS to ride each and every rollercoaster and water ride and the Phoenix - and no, in my book, Cheetah Chase and Python are not roller coasters - HAS to see Katonga, HAS to eat at the Dessert Grill, HAS to ... this can go on for some time, so let us just conclude with saying that the visitor has to do a bunch of things. The only thing stopping the visitor should be time constraints.
Woe to those who dare compare Disney to Busch Gardens. Sure Disney has the Pirates of the Caribbean and It’s A Small World and whatnot, but how does that counter the adrenaline rush felt while hanging upside down while on the Phoenix or looking straight down while on the SheiKra. If someone didn’t ride the SheiKra, there is only one thought that pops up in my mind: You missed out fella, you missed out baaaaad! So, why do I love Busch Gardens, you ask? Simply put, it makes me happy.
Sonia Joseph
| Ichetucknee Springs |
.jpg) |
Tucked away in the crannies of North Florida lies one of the most unbelievable natural phenomena known to man ... the Ichetucknee River. This hidden attraction is known to be a popular hangout. By the grace of God, the Student Science Training Program visited this sacred body of water and proceeded in tubing down it on Saturday, June 23, 2007. Interestingly, the water was a few degrees warmer by the time they left. A myriad of memorable events took place on this fine day at Ichetucknee. Tubing down the Ichetucknee River was an exciting and stimulating event. The immense amount of seaweed tickled one’s underside, while the natural beauty of the environment made the SSTP students forget about their earthly problems for a while. Several children flipped other people over in their tubes in an act that served as the main source of amusement for many young men and women.
After the tubing was over, it was time for lunch. The students were treated to pre-made sandwiches, chips, cookies and hose water. This was surprisingly one of the better lunches that the program provided all summer.
Vinodh Chandra came to the realization that he had his cell phone in his pocket the whole time he was tubing down the river. He tried every possible method to bring his phone back to life (even a form of mouth-to-mouth CPR), but sadly it could not be saved. At the end of the day, the sunburned SSTP students left the Ichetucknee River a few shades yellower and the Ichetucknee River left the students a few shades happier. The Ichetucknee Trip was easily the most electrifying component of the 2007 Student Science Training Program and a day the SSTPers will never forget!
Matt Podobinski
| St. Augustine |
.jpg) |
As our first week in SSTP came to an end, there wasn’t anything that could bring it to a close as well as a trip to St. Augustine. As we departed from Beaty Towers and arrived at Whitney Lab, the adventure began. Whitney Lab was filled with surprises at and around every corner. As the morning began we devoured a hearty breakfast of champions which included mass amounts of baked goods as well as the occasional muffin. We then explored the lab, guided by college students who were working at Whitney Lab that summer.
While there, we were able to learn about things ranging from glowing enzymes to mosquito larva. Then it was on to St. Augustine. While at St. Augustine, there were many things along St. George Street that were able to keep the 90+ students busy the whole day. The only thing that was a disappointment that day was the fact the Ripley’s charges mad amounts of money for entry to their museum. Other than that one unfortunate setback it was definitely a day to remember.
Vinodh Chandra and Vikas Joshi
