Wichita State News: Wichita

Come tell your story during national StoryCorps event

StoryCorps, a new initiative to record the nation's stories in sound, is coming to Wichita Monday, Oct. 19 – Sunday, Nov. 15.

The event is an opportunity for communities in south-central Kansas to be part of the largest oral history project in the United States.

In anticipation of the event, there will be a planning meeting for community groups that want to take part at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 6, in 107 Devlin Hall on the Wichita State campus.

RSVP by calling (316) 978-6789 or go to info@kmuw.org.

StoryCorps is sponsored by National Public Radio, KMUW 89.1 and affiliated with the Library of Congress. It was established to create an oral history of regular citizens, allowing everyday people to preserve personal stories for their own families and for future generations to hear.

Participants reserve an hour-long recording session at the traveling StoryBooth to interview someone they know – loved ones, friends or members of their community. At the end of the session, the participants receive a CD copy to take

home, and, with their permission, another copy is archived at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

For more information, go to http://www.storycorps.net.

WSU releases 2009 economic forecast

The Center for Economic Development and Business Research at Wichita State University has released its 2008 review and 2009 forecast for the Wichita area.

According to the forecast, Wichita is expected to increase jobs by 2 percent, or nearly 6,100 jobs, in 2009, after an increase of 1 percent in 2008.

"Wichita's economy continues to outperform the U.S. economy in income growth and job growth," said interim director Rob Allison.

The outlook is confirmed by the WSU Current Conditions Index. Designed to mirror the current Wichita economy, the index has shown stable growth over the past year.

In addition, the WSU Leading Economic Indicators Index, which signals change in the Wichita economy approximately six months into the future, has grown steadily over the past five years, suggesting at least moderate growth into 2009.

A major positive influence on the Wichita area economy that helps to differentiate it from the rest of the United States is the significant backlog of orders for both commercial airliners and business jets.

The backlog is bolstered by strong international sales, improved balance sheets and the demand to hire a significant number of workers.

A second positive influence is a housing market that has remained stable with continuing, slow appreciation in home values.

"The Wichita housing market has remained more stable than much of the country," said Allison. "While construction activity slowed in 2008, the time on market for houses being sold has been very consistent."

The U.S. economy will continue to confront significant challenges, including ongoing strains in financial markets, contractions in housing activity, softening labor market and rising prices.

Taken together, the indicators point to another year of moderate growth for the Wichita area. In addition to these factors, the overall economic picture depends to a large extent on the actions taken in response to the national financial situation.

For the complete forecast, go to www.wichita.edu/cedbr and click the Forecasts button.

Professor's research aimed at better health for older Kansans

For Wichita State professor Deborah Ballard-Reisch, helping to ensure the well-being of older Kansans is a high priority. It's also the focus of a research project that Ballard-Reisch, Kansas Health Foundation Distinguished Chair in Strategic Communication, is conducting with a $19,084 research grant by the Gridley-Hoover Pilot Research Program.

Her goal for the project, titled "Promoting Health Independence: Rural Kansas Seniors & Effective Health Promotion," is to find out what older adults living in rural areas need in order to stay healthy.

The issue is becoming increasingly important because of the growing number of Kansans who are 65 or older. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that by 2030, 20 percent of the Kansas population will be in that age group, up from 13 percent throughout the first decade of the 21st century.

Helping Ballard-Reisch with the project are Bobby Rozzell and Lisa Booth, both graduate students in the Elliott School of Communication. All three travel to communities in Elk, Chase and Wabaunsee counties — identified as areas that are lacking in health professionals — and conduct focus groups with older adults to assess their health care needs and preferences. They also conduct interviews at the local, county and state levels with service providers such as senior center directors and aging specialists.

With the information Ballard-Reisch and her student assistants gather, they will evaluate the best strategies for helping older adults in those counties know what health care services are available.

"While there is clearly a need to enhance primary care services to deal with the increasing medical issues facing adults as they age, it is also important to enhance health promotion efforts that help seniors stay healthy longer, particularly in areas where primary health care is limited or a significant distance away," said Ballard-Reisch.

Creative approaches

There are a number of things Ballard-Reisch is hoping to find from the project, starting with what older adults are looking for to help them stay healthy.

"A lot of time and resources can be wasted if programs are developed top down and implemented because they would be 'good' for people without first assessing their interest," said Ballard-Reisch.

That's why, she said, it's important for health experts to sit down with older adults, find out their needs and then tailor programs for them.

"The process through which programs are designed and implemented can create ownership, involvement and excitement on one hand — or disinterest at best, and alienation and disenfranchisement at worst — if the interests of participants are not taken into account," she said.

Another goal for the project is to assist county service providers with sharing knowledge and coordinating services. Ballard-Reisch said many providers already do this within their county, but she's finding unique approaches to issues that can benefit the other counties as well.

She hopes eventually to coordinate a statewide conference on best practices in health promotion to rural and frontier counties that would bring together service providers from around the country to share their programs with one another.

"Creative approaches to meeting the needs of older adults will become more and more important," she said.

Ballard-Reisch also hopes the community-based model will be an example that can lead to an expanded statewide — and maybe even regional — program. That, in turn, will result in a healthier population, she said.

On a personal level, the research project is meaningful to Ballard-Reisch because she gets the chance to explore Kansas.

"When we were visiting Cottonwood Falls, we asked people what they appreciated most about living in Chase County, and one woman said she liked to sit quietly on her porch and listen as the 'Flint Hills whispered gently' to her," said Ballard-Reisch. "Having come from the Sierra Nevada Mountains, which demand attention through their commanding presence, I particularly appreciated this sentiment."

Local universities use Wichita's size to prepare students for life after classroom

Wichita State University's method for preparing students for careers in the Wichita area would seem to be an obvious path for success.

Yet nearly 13 years have passed since Connie Dietz, director of WSU's cooperative education and work-based learning office, came to the university. She still sees WSU's career-oriented office well ahead of the curve nationally.

The office helps students who have met specific GPA and credit-hour requirements, and who take part in cooperative education experiences or internships suited to their majors at companies such as Hawker-Beechcraft Corp., Koch Industries Inc. and BKD LLP.

The office also helps with resume design and interview preparation.

"We want kids to get their learning in the classrooms and connect it to actual work within the professional work arena, so they can begin to draw that connection and see how learning it in here applies to a real-world job," Dietz says.

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WSU Foundation lands $2M Knight Foundation grant

A $2 million grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, with the help of Wichita State University's College of Engineering, will allow for the expansion of Project Lead the Way (PLTW), a pre-engineering curriculum and teacher training program for middle and high school students. The program currently is in three Wichita high schools.

Elizabeth King, WSU Foundation president and CEO, announced the approval of the grant on Sept. 15.

Kansas is facing an alarming shortage of engineers and Senate President Stephen Morris issued a challenge to universities to double the number of engineering graduates during the next five years. Wichita aviation companies need about 300 new engineers every year. WSU, with the aid of the Knight Foundation, will help meet that challenge.

"What appeals to the Knight Foundation is that this project will make technology and critical thinking central to more students' lives. Project Lead the Way will equip students with the skills in science, technology, engineering and math needed to work in our leading industries. Preparing the workforce for the 21st century is key to our region's success and is part of our overall grantmaking strategy for Wichita and Sedgwick County," said Anne Corriston, program director for the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Zulma Toro-Ramos

"The Knight Foundation gift will enable the Wichita State University College of Engineering to transform the lives of many youngsters in Sedgwick County, broaden participation in the engineering profession as well as build the 21st century workforce for the aerospace industry and beyond," said Zulma Toro-Ramos, dean of the College of Engineering, "in this way contributing to maintain the standard of living in the city of Wichita and the state of Kansas."

The Knight Foundation grant will help expand Project Lead the Way into 18 middle schools and increase the number of high schools from three to nine. It will provide the money to help the schools buy necessary equipment and computer software.

Middle school students will have opportunities to visit WSU and its College of Engineering, gain exposure to and experience in various teaching labs and meet WSU faculty and students. Some of the courses they will study are design and modeling, magic of electrons and automation and robotics.

At the high school level, opportunities will exist for students to gain college credit through PLTW coursework and take college courses at WSU while still in high school. Those courses include introduction to engineering design, principles of engineering and digital electronics.

In facing such a critical need for engineers, the state's aviation industry looks to the WSU College of Engineering to take a leadership role in growing this pipeline of future engineers.

WSU Center for Real Estate releases 2009 Wichita Housing Market Forecast

Existing home sales should rebound in 2009 as fears about the national housing market problems subside and first-time homebuyers adjust to tighter underwriting guidelines. So says the 2009 Wichita Housing Market Forecast published today by the Wichita State University Center for Real Estate.

"Sales of both new and existing homes have fallen sharply over the past year," said Stan Longhofer, director of the WSU Center for Real Estate. "But the inventory of homes available for sale remains fairly tight. The decline in sales appears to be driven by two factors. First, some first-time homebuyers have been squeezed out of the market as zero down payment mortgages have disappeared. More important, however, many potential buyers and sellers appear to be staying out of the market because of fears induced by reports about problems in other markets across the country. As these fears subside, home sales should begin to rise again."

Longhofer will present the forecast during the Wichita Area Association of Realtors annual meeting on Friday, Sept. 12, at the Wichita Area Association of Realtors building in the WaterWalk development. He will be available for interviews after the meeting at about 2 p.m.

The 2009 Wichita Housing Market Forecast reviews current housing market conditions in the Wichita area and forecasts housing market activity through the end of 2009. The title of this year's forecast is "House of Illusions," and it highlights how much of what is perceived about housing markets in general does not reflect the reality of Wichita's market.

Highlights of the 2009 Wichita Housing Market Forecast include:

Existing home sales − Existing home sales in the Wichita area have fallen sharply in the first half of this year, off 15.6 percent from the first six months of 2007. In contrast to other parts of the country, however, the inventory of unsold homes remains quite low, and homes on the market are selling fairly quickly. The decline in home sales is likely the result of reduced availability of financing for first-time homebuyers and fears induced by stories about the "national housing market crisis."

Existing home sales should continue to fall through the first quarter of 2009, and then rise through the remainder of next year. Total existing home sales in 2008 are forecasted to be 8,537 units, down 15.7 percent from 2007. Sales in 2009 should rise by 6.5 percent, to 9,092 units.

New home sales and construction − New home sales continued to fall in the first half of 2008. Because new home construction has fallen at the same time, inventories of unsold homes remains at a relatively-low five-to-six months' supply. As a result, Wichita should not experience the long-term overhang problems that will be felt in some markets across the U.S.

The pace of new home sales should stabilize in the last half of 2008. Because of declines in the first part of the year, however, total sales in 2008 are forecasted to be 1,700 units, down 6.2 percent from 2007. New home sales should be essentially flat in 2009, rising to 1,715 units.

New home construction should continue to fall until sales begin to rebound. Total single-family building permits in the Wichita area are forecasted to be 2,162 units in 2008, down 6.3 percent from 2007. Construction should fall another 8.3 percent in 2009, to 1,983 units. Construction growth will resume once sales begin to pick up again, likely in early 2010.

Home prices − Home prices in Sedgwick County continue to rise, as a stable local economy and tight inventories combine to put upward pressure on home prices. Sedgwick County home prices rose by 3.3 percent between the second quarters of 2007 and 2008. Area home prices are forecasted to rise by a total of 4.1 percent for the entire year, and then rise another 3.0 percent in 2009.

Mortgage Markets – First-time homebuyers have been squeezed over the past year as mortgage lenders have tightened their credit standards. Zero down payment mortgages have nearly disappeared from the market, and lenders have returned to more traditional income and creditworthiness guidelines. Nevertheless, mortgage rates remain relatively low, and credit is generally available to buyers with good credit and money for a down payment.

For more information and a copy of the entire 2009 Wichita Housing Market Forecast, visit the Center for Real Estate Web site at http://realestate.wichita.edu, or contact Stanley D. Longhofer, director, Center for Real Estate at (316) 978-7120 or realestate@wichita.edu.

WSU Center for Real Estate releases second quarter 2008 Home Price Index

Sedgwick County home prices appreciated by 3.34 percent between the second quarters of 2007 and 2008, according to new figures released by the Center for Real Estate at Wichita State University.

For the quarter, home prices appreciated by 1.60 percent, which translates into an annualized increase of 6.57 percent.

"Wichita area home prices rebounded solidly in the second quarter of this year," said Stan Longhofer, director of the WSU Center for Real Estate. "Although there is still some weakness in the lower end of the market, the tight inventories are resulting in price pressure in the middle and upper price ranges."

Overall, home prices in Sedgwick County have risen at an average annual rate of 3.10 percent during the past five years. In contrast, prices of other goods and services have risen by 3.55 percent per year over the same time frame.

Read full report.

Wichita Radio Reading Service gets $5,000 grant for outreach

The Wichita Radio Reading Service has received a $5,000 grant from the Weyerhaeuser Company to support WRRS outreach.The grant was awarded through the Weyerhaeuser Foundation's community program.

The check was presented to Sharon Powell Quincy, WRRS development board member, with an accompanying letter from Foundation President Karen M. Johnson. Johnson wrote, "We applaud the work you are doing for your community, and it is a pleasure to be among your current supporters."

The outreach project will enable WRRS to expand community services by implementing a directed effort to "get the word out." WRRS has been serving southern Kansas for more than 30 years, yet few people are aware of this free community service that delivers information to eligible people who have problems reading small print.

The project's focus is promoting WRRS through print media advertising, printing and distribution of brochures to local health and community facilities, and providing direct information about programming to current and potential listeners through recorded versions and large print brochures of WRRS' broadcast schedule.

Signal expansion in the fall will enable WRRS to reach listeners in Salina, Hutchinson, Pratt, Hillsboro and many other communities. Promotion of WRRS will be even more important as new areas of service are developed, said Denise Irwin, development director for KMUW 89.1, a subcarrier of WRRS.

The Weyerhaeuser Foundation is represented locally by a recycling unit that recently changed ownership and is now International Paper Company Recycling.

At Wichita Radio Reading Service, more than 150 volunteers donate their time to read The Wichita Eagle, USA Today, magazines, novels and other materials for WRRS listeners. Any person with a problem reading smaller than 14-point type or with a visual, physical, or cognitive handicap is eligible for the service.

KMUW 89.1 Wichita Public Radio is licensed to Wichita State University as a noncommercial, CPB-qualified full service public radio station, is a charter NPR (National Public Radio) member and an affiliate of PRI (Public Radio International) and APM (American Public Media).

KMUW to present Final Friday concert at The Diver Studio

KMUW 89.1 will present a Final Friday concert at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29, at The Diver Studio, 424 S. Commerce St. The free concert will feature three local bands: The Struggle, The Honky Tonk Devils and Spirit of the Stairs, all of whom are donating their time and talent to celebrate KMUW and arts in Wichita.

The Struggle will kick off the night with original and standard blues and R&B. The Honky Tonk Devils will follow with a unique mixture of surf, heavy metal, country, rockabilly, hillbilly and cow punk they refer to as "Surf & Turf."

Headlining is Spirit of the Stairs – a five-piece instrumental rock band that will debut new material prepared specifically for the KMUW event.

"We are very excited about this show," said Zackary Roach, who plays guitar for Spirit of the Stairs. "We're more than willing; we are honored to play for KMUW."

The paintings of up-and-coming local artist Josh Monaghan will be on display at the gallery. It will be a great night of music and conversation, said KMUW development director Denise Irwin.

Grant for $515,000 to focus Muma on urban physician assistants

Richard Muma, in the College of Health Professions at Wichita State University, has received a $515,000 grant focusing on physician assistant urban workforce issues. The grant, from the Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), is for three years.

Muma, chair, public health sciences, and professor, physician assistant (PA), said the grant is based on making a major impact in increasing the number of graduates from Wichita State's PA program who enter the workforce in urban underserved communities. Three goals have been set:

strengthen and expand both the didactic and clinical curriculum to heighten the training of competent health care providers in primary care, medically underserved urban sites;

increase the number of graduates who enter practice in urban underserved areas;

study the deployment of PAs working in urban underserved areas to gain a better understanding of why they end up practicing there.

"The WSU PA program has focused attention for many years on deploying graduates to rural areas," said Muma, "and now plans to add a focus in urban, underserved areas."

Urban areas differ from smaller communities in many ways, Muma said, including demography, environment, economy, social structure and availability of resources.

"Wichita-Sedgwick County, the largest metropolitan area in Kansas, experiences many challenges in providing adequate health care to all individuals," said Muma. "Community assessments have identified socioeconomic barriers and several geographic areas of Wichita with perceived barriers to adequate health care."

Muma cites a Wichita example: Hunter Health Clinic, also an HRSA-funded community health center. Data estimates show that 75 percent of patients obtaining services at Hunter are either at or below 100 percent of the federal poverty level. Each year, Hunter Health Clinic serves close to 20,000 patients with more than 60,000 clinic visits, representing a 69 percent increase since 2000. More than 75 percent of those patients have no public or private health insurance.

Access to health care will be studied in Muma's project in an effort to better understand what the right mix of providers (and in the right place) should be to care for local indigent people.

Wichita-Sedgwick County has a large number of indigent individuals needing primary care within its urban setting. The grant project, in concert with WSU's urban serving mission, will help make a major impact in the area of urban, underserved health care by increasing awareness of the magnitude of the issue among students, and ultimately graduates, from Wichita State's PA program.

Three local community health centers will also participate in the grant project: Hunter Health Clinic, Center for Health and Wellness and Healthy Options for Planeview. Together, they will form a model-hub for clinical training of WSU PA students, said Muma.

Local new-home market softens

Wichita homebuilder Clint Miller has a problem: His new homes are in demand, but not as much as a year ago.

"It's really hit and miss," said Miller, president of Clint Miller Homes. "We're not expanding or anything. We're just trying to figure out how many homes to keep around and get through this slow time."

The area remains in a new-home building decline fueled by credit problems, experts said.

The number of June new-home permits was 102, the same as May but a 31.1 percent decline from June 2007's 148 permits, according to numbers compiled by the Wichita Area Builders Association.

"Clearly, the numbers are down," said Stan Longhofer, director of Wichita State University's Center for Real Estate. "What at first looked like a seasonal bump of remarkably good sales in 2006 when we had a nice winter and spring hasn't rebounded.

"We had a cold winter and lots of rain last year, and the thinking was it would rebound quickly. It hasn't."

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New Wichita State program gives entrepreneurs a competitive edge

The Center for Entrepreneurship at Wichita State University is offering the first in a series of programs created for small business entrepreneurs that will provide instruction in successfully expanding their business. Statistically half of all new businesses fail within the first few years. Entrepreneurs in Wichita and surrounding areas will soon have a secret weapon to increase their chances for success. FastTrac® curriculum is a cutting-edge program, developed by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation of Kansas City, that will arrive at Wichita State in fall 2008.

Beginning Oct. 1, aspiring entrepreneurs will be offered a 10-week, intensive learning course with hands-on coaching sessions. Opportunities to network and learn from peers, facilitators and seasoned entrepreneurs are a key part of the experience.

The program is divided into two specialties: New Venture and Growth Venture. New Venture offers essential business information to help develop entrepreneurial skills to build a strong business foundation, and Growth Venture focuses on improving the business' performance.

In both courses, participants will gain strategic visioning guidance, elements of strategic planning, professional networking connections and other resources that will prepare them to create a new business or expand an existing enterprise.

The Center for Entrepreneurship encourages entrepreneurial thinking and programming through quality education, research and community outreach. FastTrac® aims to connect entrepreneurs to the best resources available to aid in the pursuit and realization of entrepreneurial dreams.

Tim Pett

"The focus is to help entrepreneurs take a step back, look at the big picture, and work on their business, not just in their businesses," said Tim Pett, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship. "FastTrac® offers the educational component we needed to help business owners improve their chances for success."

More than 165,000 entrepreneurs have participated in the FastTrac® program, the largest organization in the nation solely focused on entrepreneurial success at all levels.

WSU selects Dean's Scholars schools for 2008-2009

Thirty seniors from Wichita Heights High School, Derby High School and Trinity Academy are targeted as Dean's Scholars by Wichita State University for 2008-2009. The program aims for the best and brightest students, and offers students a full ride for their freshman year at WSU.

The program, now in its third year, will undergo one significant change. In addition to selecting 10 students each from Heights, Derby and Trinity, Wichita State is putting the "all call" out to any student in Sedgwick County who might like to apply for one of 10 at-large spots.

Christine Schneikart-Luebbe

"This really opens the opportunity to a much broader audience," said Christine Schneikart-Luebbe, dean of enrollment services at WSU and the person responsible for the program. "Students who are interested in one of the at-large spots will need to get a recommendation from their high school to be considered."

Prospective students are encouraged to work through their high school, but if they still have questions, they can contact Schneikart-Luebbe at (316) 978-3149.

Prospective Dean's Scholars should secure a recommendation letter from an official at their high school (a teacher, a counselor, a coach or a principal) and submit it by Friday, Sept. 5. WSU is looking for local movers and shakers who are academically talented and leaders in their respective schools. Students need to have at least a 26 on the ACT to be considered.

In just two short years, the Dean's Scholars program has generated a lot of interest in the local schools. Schneikart-Luebbe said, "This was the first year where the school representatives actually asked during our initial meetings, 'How can we enhance our chances to be selected as a Dean's Scholars school?'"

Students who qualify for the Dean's Scholars program are asked to attend a specially designed program monthly during the school year. About half of the programs showcase academic opportunities and half introduce scholars to the social aspects of collegiate life at WSU.

The first class of Dean's Scholars from Wichita East, Andover High School and Kapaun Mt. Carmel, have completed their freshman year. Schneikart-Luebbe has continued to meet with the students every two weeks throughout their first year at Wichita State.

"It's difficult to put into words what the Dean's Scholars program has done for me," said Dustin Kuhn, 2007 Wichita East High School International Baccalaureate graduate and a charter member of the first class of Dean's Scholars. "My freshman experience would not have been near the same without the opportunities the program has provided.

"The ability to share the experience with so many other outstanding students, who I now call friends, has been amazing. The guidance from the dean truly helped me through a crucial point in my education and I am proud to have been a charter member of the Dean's Scholars program and happy to call Wichita State home."

"My experience with the Dean's Scholars program has been a life-changing one," said Anthony Marrone, 2007 Kapaun Mt. Carmel graduate, also a charter member of the first class of Dean's Scholars. "The most incredible aspect of college life for me has been the individual attention I have received while here. At larger schools I felt like a number, whereas at WSU I feel like a person. This feeling came directly from the dean who took a very personal interest in my success. She made WSU home."

Susan Burdick, parent of Ben Burdick, a 2007 Andover High School graduate and Dean's Scholar, said the program "represents a great opportunity for bright local students to experience what WSU has to offer. I was most impressed with the ongoing level of attention and communication, and with the variety and quality of beneficial experiences made available to the Dean's Scholars."

The new class of Dean's Scholars from Maize High School, The Independent School, Campus High School and Wichita Southeast High School will attend WSU this fall. Thirty-one of the 34 students selected for the program plan to attend WSU.

20- and 30-something Wichita professionals speak out in survey

Wichita's young professionals find the city too conservative culturally, but they love its low cost of living and wealth of restaurants and shopping.

That's the verdict of a Wichita State University survey of young professionals.

It's the first piece of a year-long effort to make the city more attractive to young workers.

There weren't many surprises in the survey, but it will help by replacing guesses with numbers, said Kasey Jolly, who compiled the survey as regional economic analyst with WSU's Center for Economic Development and Business Research.

One of the most remarkable finds, she said, is that nearly 50 percent of respondents said they planned to stay in Wichita -- this despite the fact that five out of six respondents had lived elsewhere at one time.

Read full story.

Summer bioengineering camp challenges high school students

The engineering field is home to many specialties and disciplines. And now bioengineering, a new division, is breaking ground in Wichita State University's engineering department.

Charity Kennedy, assistant director of engineering education, is the creator of "Body Works: The Body as a Machine," a bioengineering camp that promotes the new program to high school students.

"Bioengineering is really cool," said nursing major and camp counselor Aimee Callison.

To Callison, camps like Body Works stress education, and "education is what's going to get them a bright future," she said.

Camp activities were centered within the three concentrations included in WSU's bioengineering program: medical devices, lifestyle engineering and bioenergy. Campers heard lectures and participated in activities designed to show them how bioengineering works.

The students began the week learning about joint replacement, composite materials and laparoscopic surgery. High school bioengineering teacher Leah Kasten taught the course focusing on joint replacement and creating new materials to make the process better and easier.

Larry Whitman, associate professor and director of engineering education, taught the students about laparoscopic surgery. The students were given tools to complete a task and were then challenged to create better tools.

According to Kasten, the point of these exercises is to make students think outside the box in order to discover how to make better parts for the body.

Kennedy wanted the activities to help students realize that "there are a lot of ways to be in the medical field" without becoming a doctor.

During the second day, campers participated in a race across campus in wheelchairs on a scavenger hunt. What might sound fun and exciting turned out to be a difficult challenge.

Grady Landrum, director of disability services, instructed the students about wheelchair safety and use, and cautioned them about how hard it was to maneuver the chair without properly developed muscles and coordination.

"It was hard," said camper Allison Bauer. "It hurt my hands more than anything."

Kennedy hoped the students would become "more aware of handicapped accessibility and those who are handicapped." Sometimes you have to go way out of the way to use handicapped accessible doors, elevators and ramps, she said.

"They need to realize that people with disabilities are a population," she said. "Devices need to be designed, and that's a career possibility."

Before creating the camp, Kennedy attended the traveling exhibit "Our Body: The Universe Within" while it was showing in Oklahoma City, and was "completely blown away."

The exhibit, now showing at Wichita's Exploration Place science center, displays human bodies inside and out with revealing examples of the musculoskeletal structure, circulatory and respiratory systems, the digestive track and an in-depth look into the brain.

Camp counselor Shiva Naidu, majoring in human factors and ergonomics, considers the exhibit better than a classroom setting.

"It's one thing to look at a diagram," he said. "It's another thing to actually see it."

Camper Rachel Evans agreed, saying the exhibit allowed her to put the vision of what she thought the body was to what it is in reality.

Kennedy wanted the exhibit to tie into the knowledge and information students already had, and she hopes "it will help kids realize how important taking care of their own body is."

This camp was focused more on medical devices and lifestyle engineering than bioenergy, but students did learn about biofuels and renewable energy from Greg Krissik, president of ICM, a private company that builds ethanol plants across the country.

Kennedy hopes to have a camp based solely on bioenergy next year.

Campers heard from many teachers and guest lecturers, but a large portion of their learning can be credited to their counselors.

"I have excellent counselors," Kennedy said. And, she said, counselors make or break a camp.

Further camp activities included constructing a ball-and-socket or hinge joint, making a model of a diaphragm and lungs, and a Rube Goldberg experiment in which students made a ball-throwing arm out of household items.

Kennedy hopes that students take with them the importance of college and education, and realize that they "don't have to be a geek to be an engineer."