The three-year, year-round Smoky Mountain Heights project will include programs for a total of 2,100 middle school students and paid internships for 36 high school students. The students will conduct research projects that will contribute to their own studies and personal development, while also improving the understanding of life in the Great Smoky Mountains and similar ecosystems. Activities will be based at the park's new Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center at Purchase Knob in Haywood County, North Carolina. The project expands the popular Parks as Classrooms program, which cultivates the students' awareness and interest in various fields of science, including ecology and the biological sciences. The middle school programs will encourage a diverse applicant pool for a new high school internship program. Interns will work in small groups and interact with visiting scientists on the study of plants, fungi, invertebrates, vertebrates, air quality, and more. This is a non-residental program. Example Student Presentation [view] [ppt] Testimonials: "I realized that moths, grasshoppers, and even fruitflies are all fascinating, and there is always something new and amazing to learn about." -- High School Intern "Every single day [my son] has worked this summer has been a positive influence on him... I think he realizes that with the right education and training he may be able to earn a living doing something he loves." -- Father of an intern who had insisted he would not go on to college before internship and is now exploring at least a four-year degree. "[The students] were saying, 'This is a cool job!'" -- 6th grade teacher from Waynesville Middle School after a field trip.

Quickfacts Format: Two main components - (1) Spring and fall middle school curriculum-based research field trips to the park for grades 6-8. (2) Summer high school research interns (12 each year). Area served: Western North Carolina counties (within bus trip/commuting distance). Program dates: Year-round Open to: Middle and high school classes on a 1st come, 1st serve reservation system. High school students (16+ years old), with one position reserved for qualified students from each of Swain, Cherokee, Robbinsville, Central, Pisgah, Tuscolah, and Smoky Mountain High Schools. The other 5 internships are available to qualified students from those seven high schools and also from other western NC counties. Information Bulletins: High School Internships College Internship Contacts: Susan Sachs Education Coordinator susan_sachs@nps.gov or Paul Super Science Coordinator paul_super@nps.gov Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center at Purchase Knob P.O. Box 357 Lake Junaluska, NC 28745 PH: 828/926-6251 Links: Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center at Purchase Knob Great Smoky Mountains National Park Friends of the Smokies

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