MARTINS FERRY At the request of Martins Ferry High School student council members, 17 Ohio University Eastern campus faculty and staff "invaded" the high school recently and took over classes for the day. Student council members remembered when the high school was invaded two years ago in their old building, and they asked for the university to do it again, this time in their new state-of-the-art building.
"The high school Invasion is a great way to expose high school students to college life. Many students are never able to visit a college campus and the invasion takes a college visit directly to them at their school," said Jennifer Kellner, recruitment coordinator at Ohio University Eastern Campus.
"Can we do this twice a year?" one student in the second period problem solving class asked.
Ohio University Eastern Campus faculty and staff covered a variety of topics with the Purple Riders. Topics included:
Economics
Problem solving/team building
American history
Theater
Plagiarism
Athletics
Ohio University Eastern Campus reality
Horror films/Affects of mass media on society
Psychology/World religions
From zero to infinity and beyond
Financial aid/reality store
Child development/family relations
Rural poverty & homelessness
Exercise physiology
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Child abuse & neglect
The three main goals of the event are to 1) expose high school students to college faculty and staff, so the idea of college is not so intimidating; 2) have college professors reinforce the idea that what the students are learning in high school is important and applicable to life; and 3) give faculty at each institution a chance to meet and network with one another.
Dr. Paula McMurray-Schwarz, associate professor of early childhood education, said, "[The Martins Ferry teachers were] very welcoming and cooperative! I enjoyed meeting them."
By all accounts, the event was another successful and enjoyable day for all involved.
