This year’s graduates of The Center for Rural Development’s Rogers Explorers summer youth program used their science and math skills to explore the mysteries of space and get hands-on experience turning up clues as crime scene investigators.

A total of 60 rising ninth-grade students from across Southern and Eastern Kentucky honed their science and math skills and developed leadership ability in this summer’s Rogers Explorers program, held June 7-12 on the campuses of Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia and the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg.

“This was an exceptional week of having the opportunity to work first-hand with our Explorers on skills that will strengthen their future as well as strengthen the entire region,” Jessica Melton, associate director of education and training for The Center, said.

At Lindsey Wilson College, Rogers Explorers toured the John F. Kennedy Space Center via a live, interactive videoconference with NASA officials.

The videoconference—presented by NASA’s Digital Learning Network and brought to Explorers by The Center’s award-winning CenterNET2 statewide videoconferencing network—gave participants a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to prepare a vehicle for liftoff into space.

At the University of the Cumberlands, James Manning, professor of physics, had Explorers following evidence in the fictional “Crime Scene Investigation: The Case of Mr. Spud.” Explorers used their observational skills “to explore a crime scene” involving Mr. Spud (a baked potato).

“Providing interesting, hands-on activities for young people is critical to encouraging them to become excited about science,” Manning said. “The Rogers Explorers program provides me with an opportunity to show not only how science is done, but also how we use science in our daily lives without recognizing it.”

Under the direction of biology instructor Tabitha Ellis, Rogers Explorers at Lindsey Wilson College examined different characteristic traits that make them unique individuals.

“This program,” Ellis said, “is a great way to get students involved in hands-on activities and help them understand their opportunities they’ll have with a strong science background.”

Rogers Explorers is open to eighth-grade students within The Center’s 42-county service area who have an interest in developing skills in leadership, technology, math, science, entrepreneurship, and community service. Participants spend three-days and two nights on a college campus participating in hands-on activities and working with professional college instructors.

Explorers are encouraged to take an active role in their home communities and step up as the region’s future business leaders and entrepreneurs.

To learn more about Rogers Explorers, contact Jessica Melton, associate director of education and training for The Center, at 606-677-6000 or email her at jmelton@centertech.com.

Information also is available online on this program and The Center’s two other youth leadership programs—Rogers Scholars and Entrepreneurship Leadership Institute (ELI)—at www.centertech.com.

The Center for Rural Development—the Center of Excellence for rural Kentucky and the nation—provides economic and community development programs to residents in a 42-county primary service area of Southern and Eastern Kentucky, and is home to several statewide and national technology-based programs. For more information on programs available through The Center, visit www.centertech.com.

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Photo Caption 1: Rogers Explorers on the campus of Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia are, front row, from left, Heather Jackson, Alison Feese, Katelyn Carman, Sarah Coffman, Tylyn Leigh, Molly Frank, Jenna Johnson, Haley Campbell, LeeAnn Grider, and Katelyn McGraw; second row, Hannah Lake, Paige Price, Kari Popplewell, Jessie Smith, Sarah Wiles, Andrea Jenkins, Kirschten Roberts, Mackenzi Cooper, Abbie Corder, and Sydney Treadway; back row, Aaron Hall, Zach Stolze, Evan Holbrook, Taylor Leigh, Jeremy Ball, Trey Garmon, Noah Richard, Matthew Hutchinson, and Adam Plumley.

Photo Caption 2: Rogers Explorers Austin Kirksey, left, and Gerek Patrick follow the evidence as crime scene investigators in the fictional case of “Crime Scene Investigation: The Case of Mr. Spud.” Explorers at the University of the Cumberlands used their observational skills “to explore a crime scene” involving Mr. Spud (a baked potato), shown on the table. After brainstorming about what they needed to know “to solve the crime,” Explorers performed a variety of experiments or explorations that permitted them to draw conclusions about the evidence.

Photo Caption 3: Rogers Explorers at the University of the Cumberlands ask questions in a live, interactive videoconference with NASA officials at the John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Explorers took a virtual tour of the space center, giving them a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to prepare a vehicle for liftoff into space. The videoconference, presented by NASA’s Digital Learning Network and brought to Explorers by The Center for Rural Development’s award-winning CenterNET2 statewide videoconferencing network, was repeated for Explorers on the Lindsey Wilson campus.

Photo Caption 4: Rogers Explorers on the campus of the University of the Cumberlands are, front row, from left, Kelsey Gray, Cassidy Teager, Myriah Rich, Natascha Richardson, Emily Sizemore, Natalie Boatman, Brittany Ferrell, Lauren Hensley, Rebecca Bolinger, and Paige Cobb; second row, Callie Ann Dixon, Diondra Pickard, Clara Chafins, Pierce Bishop, Jonathan Hubbard, Lincoln Johnson, Ben Barnett, Kelsie Handshoe, Camden Phillips, and Allison Swafford; and third row, Tyler Megargel, James Williams, Gerek Patrick, Justin Caldwell, South Whitt, Trent Harrison, Austin Kirksey, Layne Gaynor, Landry Woods, and David W. Cole.