Butters selected to attend Math & Science Summer Program

Northern Marianas College Upward Bound program participant and Kagman High School sophomore, Shaun Kyle Butters, has been selected to attend a month-long introductory math and science skills program focused on marine science.

The Math and Science Program Level I will take place at Monterey Peninsula College in Monterey, California.

The 2011 summer program will be held from June 24 to July 24, 2011. Participants in the program are immersed in the study of math and science taking courses with other students with similar goals. Some of the courses Butters will be taking include marine biology, mathematics, communication, and college orientation and personal development.

In conjunction with the courses are laboratory and field activities that emphasize skill development in note taking, quantification, observation, and description, graphing, independent and group research, experimental techniques, and oral reporting. Other educationally enriching activities, such as attending workshops, hosting guest speakers and meeting with educational advisors, will also be conducted.

In addition to taking math and science courses, participants in the program are given the opportunity to experience living in a college environment with other program participants. For the duration of the program, Butters will be living on the campus dormitories of the University of California at Santa Cruz with other students.

As a student at KHS, Butters is actively involved with his school as a member of the Marine Biology Club, Japanese Cultural Club and Junior Varsity Basketball team. He also serves as the KHS Sophomore Class Secretary. Besides active school participation, Butters is a member of CNMI Teen Talk and the National Forensic League, and even participated in the Attorney General’s Cup speech competition. Butters is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Butters of As Teo.

“I feel extremely excited to be representing the NMC Upward Bound program, and also proud to be going to Monterey to represent Saipan,” said Butters. “I will take this opportunity to experience college life and find out what to expect when I really do attend college.”

Butters plans on majoring in secondary education and history in college. Butters has been a participant of the Upward Bound program at NMC, which is a federally funded TRiO program tasked to motivate disadvantaged high school students pursue post secondary education.