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The Southern West Virginia Junior Nursing Academy, hosted by the West Virginia University School of Nursing, will be August 13-14, 2024. The day camp will be held on WVU Tech’s campus and give participants a sneak peek of what it might be like to be a college nursing student while giving them hands-on experiences.

There is no cost to attend, but spots are limited. Students must have at least a 3.0 grade point average and be entering the 8th, 9th or 10th grade in August 2024. Applicants must also submit a one-page essay that explains their interest in nursing and why they want to attend.

The academy will run from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day, with an award and pinning ceremony on August 14. Each participant will receive a uniform, shirt, stethoscope, backpack and blood pressure cuff. 

Students will take trips to two local hospitals, learn how to take vital signs and have a better understanding of the nursing field. Each student is paired with a professional registered nurse as their mentor for the week.

Hillary Parcell, Assistant Professor and Department Chair of the WVU School of Nursing Beckley Campus, says she wants the camp to address the nursing shortage and to reach students in their middle school and early high school educations so they can be better prepared for a career in nursing.

“We enjoy hosting this camp for southern West Virginia because it is such a great hands-on opportunity to expose young minds to the profession of nursing,” says Parcell.

The Southern West Virginia Junior Nursing Academy is sponsored by the West Virginia Center for Nursing, Raleigh General Hospital, Appalachian Regional Hospital, AirEvac, WVU Tech and the WVU School of Nursing.

Applications are open now and will be accepted until March 15, 2024. Apply for the camp or get more information at camps.wvutech.edu. Questions can be sent to Hillary Parcell at heparcell@mail.wvu.edu or 304-929-1321.

West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech) is inviting everyone in the community to their Homecoming basketball games on Saturday, February 10, 2024 at the Beckley Raleigh County Convention Center. The games are free and open to the public thanks to Tech’s Communiversity partner, Pendleton Community Bank (PCB).

Doors open at noon for games, prizes and giveaways. 

Raleigh County Schools (RCS) and West Virginia University Institute of Technology (WVU Tech) are working collaboratively to host the Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences’ Clay2Go mobile exhibit in Beckley.

This experience will give more than 2,000 students from the 17 RCS elementary schools the opportunity to expand their knowledge of principles in science, technology, engineering and mathematics through interactive play. It promotes critical thinking through trial and error, experimentation, problem-solving and independent learning. During their visit, students will also explore all that the WVU Tech campus has to offer during a campus tour and enjoy lunch in the dining hall.

“This partnership is another example of our Communiversity focus that ensures we are working hand-in-hand with educational partners like Raleigh County Schools and the Clay Center to provide educational and growth opportunities for our young people,” said Dr. T. Ramon Stuart, President of WVU Tech. “We want to make sure that students in our region see what is possible for their futures and that these educational and career opportunities are available to them right here at home at WVU Tech.”

“Raleigh County Schools continues to expand the learning environment for its students,” shared Dr. Serena Starcher, Superintendent of Raleigh County Schools. “Through this partnership with WVU Tech and the Clay Center, we believe our students have a tremendous opportunity to explore STEM-related fields and concepts. Also, as RCS strives to prepare students for their future, we look forward to providing them the opportunity to tour our local university. We hope this experience provides our students a small glimpse of what their future could hold and what is available to them here in Beckley.”

Groups of third through fifth grade RCS students will visit WVU Tech for the Clay2Go mobile exhibit from February 7 to February 29, 2024. The exhibit will be housed at the Neville Auditorium located at 410 Neville Street, Beckley, West Virginia.

In addition to serving students for school-based field trips, Raleigh County Schools will host family evening events on February 20 and February 26 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

“We are so proud to offer Clay2Go as a resource for public schools throughout the state. We believe every child in West Virginia deserves to learn about the scientific wonders of our world, regardless of whether they can make it to our permanent location in Charleston,” says Clay Center President and CEO Al Najjar.

For information about the school visits and family events, contact the RCS Superintendent’s Office at (304) 256-4500, ext. 3308.