Tampa, Florida - "Cool Chemistry," "CSI for Students," and "Phun with Physics" are just a few of the week-long classes several hundred rising 8th graders in Hillsborough are taking at the University of Tampa.
Thousands of students who were invited to take the SAT and ACT earlier this year and did well have been invited to take part in the Hillsborough Scholars Summer Academy.
Chemistry professor Doctor Michael Carastro shows these 8th graders how to turn their DNA into a souvenir.
The students swab the inside of their mouths, let the cells grow and put the samples in a small vial to use as a necklace.
Carastro hopes the hands on experiments keeps kids interested in learning.
"I was hoping this would help some students who may be a bit distracted but quite gifted and try to get them excited about doing something in science and think it's cool enough to do."
The program costs $325 for the week, but scholarships are given to students who need it. The Scholars Summer Academy is modeled after Duke University's summer program for young academically talented students.
Isabel Mascareñas, Tampa Bay's 10 News