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School students sign up for summer fun at University
January 19, 2004
Dozens of high school students have opted to "get off the couch" and sign up for summer schools organised by the University of the Sunshine Coast.
It is the first time that the University has organised the program which sees exciting activities being organised in each of its three faculties: Arts and Social Sciences, Business and Science.
The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is running a three-day course in Bahasa Indonesia. The course provides an opportunity for the students to practise and improve their language skills - listening, speaking, reading and writing.
"We have had 20 students taking part and I think they have all enjoyed and learned a lot from the interaction with the native Indonesian speakers who have been with them throughout," said a spokesman.
The Faculty of Business is testing another group's commercial skills by putting them through an exercise based on the arrival of a pod of bottlenose dolphins that have made Mooloolaba Beach their home.
Broken into teams, the students have to develop innovative eco-tourism business proposals designed to attract local, interstate and foreign tourists to the area.
The teams' business plans and powerpoint presentations will be assessed by University staff and Maroochyshire's Councillor Joe Natoli, who will also present prizes to the participants on Tuesday afternoon.
Generous sponsorship by Underwater World, Go Mooloolaba and Wendy's Supa Sundae will ensure none of the students go home empty-handed.
The Faculty of Science is running a three-day course introducing the fascinating world of marine biology. Apart from working at the University's Sippy Downs campus, the students will be taken to the largest marine aquaculture research centre in Queensland where technology is being used to measure stress levels in scallops.
The two and three-day programs have been offered to Sunshine Coast high school students entering Years 11 and 12 in 2004.
"This is the first time we have run programs like this across our three faculties and we intend to continue and expand the range in future years," said Ms Kylie McKenzie, the University's External Relations Officer.
"Many school students have diverse interests and are still trying to decide what they would like to do with their future. Summer schools give them an opportunity to experience an area of study, possibly for the first time, to help them make their future career choices.
"For instance, we have students specialising in science subjects at school who are attending the Faculty of Business course because it gives them a taste of the commercial world."
The summer school programs have been planned to take place out of school time so that disruption is minimal. Promoted through schools and via radio and print advertising, the "get off the couch" message has attracted Year 11 and Year 12 students from throughout the region.