Dear Contributor,

Hi! My name is Ashlynn Turner, and I was a South Carolina delegate to the 2010 National Youth Science Camp. I would like to start off by thanking you for allowing over one hundred young men and women’s lives to be changed this summer. The National Youth Science Camp is truly the most enriching, empowering, inspirational experience I have participated in. I am grateful beyond measure for being given this opportunity.

This fall I am attending Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC. I will be studying biology while working toward veterinary school. Many of the lectures and both of my directed studies at the camp allowed my interest to grow in biology. We were presented with information, questions, stories, advice, and experiments concerning this field that only increased my desire to pursue career in Veterinary Medicine. Of course, I learned much more at science camp than biology! The lectures about P-adic numbers, solar power, food additives, and “How to Duplicate a Gold Bullion” increased my interests in many more areas.

One of the best parts of the camp was the outdoor experience. My climbing trip is a memory that stands out when thinking of NYSC. It was my first time rock climbing, but the climbing coordinator encouraged me to try a harder route that the boys group failed to complete. When I finally made it to the hardest part of the climb, I was already exhausted. I had to find a way to get over a huge overhang, and it was taking me way too long to do it. I asked many times to be allowed down, but my partners, Louise and Roxie, would not allow it. They refused to let me down until I made it to the top, although the guys before us all belayed down before making it halfway. The other two girls also made it to the top after I did, and it was a very great feeling of accomplish not only for me, but for my team. Pushing through the struggles on all of the outdoor experiences gave us a feeling of pride and accomplishment. The close-knit

relationships that were made in these small groups are ones that continued to grow throughout the duration of the camp, and will continue to grow throughout our lives.

I would like to thank you again supporting the National Youth Science Camp. You have touched the lives of many by giving us this opportunity to learn about science, to explore our interests, and to discover the world around us.

Sincerely,

Ashlynn Turner, 2010 NYSC – South Carolina