Sci-Blast is a collaboration between middle school science teachers and the North Carolina State University School of Veterinary Medicine that connects researchers to students who are enthusiastic about science. In this after-school club, students explore areas of science in which they have an interest.  Dr. Jay Levine, the university facilitator, provides a training workshop for the reporters and finds scientists willing to be interviewed by middle school students. Students usually choose a researcher from Dr. Levine’s list. If students are interested in a particular researcher or field of research, the facilitators try to meet individual requests. Students work in pairs to interview scientists about how they developed an interest in science and their research. Sci-Blast science reporters write articles and create web pages to convey the information to an audience of other middle school students. They publish their articles on the Internet.  Web posting gives Sci-Blast a global perspective, making the articles available to kids all over the world.

Science reporters learn to use a variety of technology resources. They learn to organize their disk space as they manage complex projects. They use word processing software. With graphic editors they process their original digital or scanned photographs. They learn to use email as naturally as they use a telephone and become adept at using the Internet to explore, research a subject, and communicate ideas.

Success has its rewards. For  posting articles reporters earn trips to research facilities such as the nuclear reactor at North Carolina State University and the Aquaculture Research facility. Future anticipated reward trips include the Duke University Primate Center and Marine Research facilities in coastal North Carolina.