Madison Reporter

Most midwesterners might find mosquitoes a nuisance during summer, but middle school students in the Madison Metropolitan School District's CTE Summer Discovery Program: Health Science Exploration found them fascinating. The program offered an opportunity for students to engage with health science in a practical setting.

The program included a field trip to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Hanson Biomedical Sciences Laboratories. There, students explored mosquito disease transmission and prevention by feeding mosquitoes and examining their life cycles under microscopes.

Beyond the lab, students tested everyday products like bug spray, lotion, sunscreen, and makeup remover to see which repelled or attracted mosquitoes. Their conclusion was simple: use bug spray.

Instructor Katie Ryan emphasized the program's goal: "For many, it was the first time seeing how school subjects apply to actual jobs in science and health care. We want students to leave this camp feeling inspired by what they’ve learned and excited about what’s possible."

In addition to mosquito studies, students participated in various hands-on experiments back in the classroom. These included DNA extraction from strawberries, creating a three-dimensional brain model with Jell-O, and learning about the circulatory system using stethoscopes.

Penny, an eighth-grader from Hamilton Middle School, shared her experience: “I liked the DNA and blood typing part the most. We learned how different antigens can affect blood transfusions. It was fun, but also made me think more seriously about emergency medicine and pediatrics.”