By the time these words are being read, Maddy Reichelt will have enrolled as an incoming freshman at the University of Montana. She is taking a four year course to get her pre med requirements over and then she wants to go to medical school.

Part of what happened to Maddy this summer caused her to turn to medicine as a lifetime occupation.

She went to the National Youth Science Camp in the mountains out of Bartow, West Virginia.

Maddy thought the camp was great. There were 120 participants and only one other from Montana, a boy from Corvallis.

There were many educational speakers who motivated young minds and many classes in science and outdoor activities.

One of the great things about the camp, is no one ever knew what they were doing the next day. Activities, other than a visit to Washington D.C. were always a surprise.

“It was intimidating not knowing anyone,” said Maddy. “And we did not have access to anyone we knew at home so were really on our own when the camp was in session from June 15 to July 10.”

Maddy said that she learned a lot from the camp. She learned a lot from professors and thought it was very good to have positive role models around her all the time. Not only that but she learned rock climbing, mountain biking and outdoor activities she had not participated in before.

“There were some extremely brilliant people, way more brilliant than I am at the camp,” added Maddy.

She thinks her education in Big Sandy was good for what she is going into. But she wishes she could have access to Advanced Placement classes before going into Pre med classes.

“They would have been very valuable to me,” added Maddy.

Don’t get her wrong. She is so ready for Missoula and the University of Montana. She thinks that she always had medicine on a back burner but when during the science camp, she cut open a pig’s heart and sutured it closed, well, that was when she knew medicine was for her.

As for the National Science Camp, it set high goals for her and made her realize that now she has higher expectations of herself and what she can accomplish.

To get into the camp, it helped that she had been interested in science projects for several years now and her GPA and test scores helped her get in too. Maddy knows, for others, if they are interested enough in science and themselves, they will get in as well.

The National Youth Science Camp program is strengthened through a philosophy that encourages delegates to experience each day by day. This philosophy permits the staff to plan numerous special events that surprise participants. This philosophy also encourages the delegates to give undistracted attention to guest presenters. The National Youth Science Camp does not, therefore publish detailed program calendars.

The National Youth Science Camp is a residential science education program for young scientists the summer after they graduate from high school. Students from around the country are challenged academically in exciting lectures and hands on studies and have voluntary opportunities to participate in an outdoor adventure program, gain a new and deep appreciation for the great outdoors and establish friendships that last a lifetime.

So, after being inspired and made aware of so much more around her, now Maddy is at the University of Montana and building a career from what she learned in Big Sandy and at the National Youth Science Camp and what she learned from her loved ones as well.

How will she do in this endeavor?

She has the battle more than half won already. Good luck Big Sandy Maddy!