 JUSTIN
BUELL
From Absarokee High School, Absarokee, Montana. Budding sports
announcer. Mature and responsible - most of the time, anyway. "I
play soccer a lot and collect anything of Kobe Bryant. I have type
1 diabetes, so I have to take self-injections and monitor my blood
sugar. I have fun doing science, and I can usually pick it up easily...
I usually like to figure things out for myself just to make sure
I get the right answer." |
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 JAMIE
CAIN
From Belgrade High School, Belgrade, Montana. A speak-up, take-charge
kinda guy. Dyed-in-the-wool hunter. Likes to joke around. "I
am glad I am getting the opportunity to do this... I like to understand
why things work or happen and just about everything is related to
science in some way or another." |
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 ERIC HELLICKSON
From Belgrade High School, Belgrade, Montana. Eric is quiet and
chooses his words carefully. "Passions I pursue are getting
my Eagle Scout award, becoming an engineer or architect... I also
have a deep interest in demolitions... I have an unquenchable thirst
for science... everything about science interests me." |
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 TOM
HOLGATE
From West Yellowstone High School, West Yellowstone, Montana. Clearly
a man of science. Earnest, a quick learner. Would like to be a genetic
engineer. "I am curious, always asking questions... I like
to have structure when learning, not to have a teacher say 'go study
something.' If I find something interesting that I don't know the
answer to, I'll try to find out. I try to learn biology whenever
possible, especially genetics. I like working together as opposed
to alone." |
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 SHANNON WALDEN
Biology teacher, Fort Benton Middle School/High School, Fort
Benton, Montana. Also a research scientist. Her enthusiasm about
biology is infectious. "My experience as a research scientist
is one of constant inquiry... As a teacher I often explore new
ways to cover the class material... I am fascinated by the continual
unfolding of knowledge. It seems to me that to succeed in science
one must be willing to be creative and push the envelope. If we
don't, how will we ever get outside the box? Each time I learn
about a Nobel laureate's work I am stunned with the simplicity
and creativity of the project.
"Science
is definitely a fluid discipline. Although the process of doing
science should be static, using the scientific method, the knowledge
base is always changing... Here's my favorite moment about that:
one of my students asked, 'What if all the stuff we are learning
changes?' I responded, 'Of course it will change. That is a constant.'
It seemed to rock her and the other students quite a bit."
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