MSMS Students Picked for National Conference

COLUMBUS, Miss. – Two students from the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science have been chosen to represent the state of Mississippi at the National Youth Science Camp this summer.

Brenna Nye and Wilhelm Liano, both MSMS seniors, will spend June 26 through July 20 attending the prestigious West Virginia camp. Each year camp organizers select two students from each state to attend. Both Mississippi delegates are soon-to-be graduates of MSMS.

“I am really excited to have the opportunity to attend the camp this summer,” said Nye upon learning of her acceptance. “It will be wonderful to meet driven students all over the world while meeting established scientists!”

“Well, it’s exciting to be able to visit a camp where it seems everyone, much like MSMS, is excited to learn about new ideas and to experience those ideas in person,” said Liano. “It seems like a great place to meet people like myself, yet so diverse and different at the same time.”

The NYSC has been in existence since it was created in 1963 by the West Virginia Legislature. According to the organization’s website, the purpose of the camp is to “create an environment where young scientists of diverse backgrounds and interests may reap maximum benefits from interaction with one another and with visiting scientists. [The camp] strives to broaden, to inspire, and to encourage a sense of thoughtful scientific leadership among future scientists, engineers, mathematicians, and health care professionals.”

Not only do campers have the opportunity to interact with other bright minds from across the country, but they will also be able to attend lectures hosted by visiting scientists, embark on outdoor activities like kayaking and mountain biking and travel to Washington D.C. where the campers will be honored at a luncheon hosted by the United States Senate.

“This is a big deal for Brenna and Wilhelm and for MSMS,” said MSMS Academic Director Dr. Germain McConnell. “The fact that only two students are selected from each state, and both Mississippi’s delegates are from MSMS, is, I think, a testament to our students, our faculty the quality of our math and science programs.”

The camp is funded by the National Youth Science Foundation and all costs, including travel expenses, are covered for students who are selected to attend.

Nye, who is originally from Southaven, Miss. and attended Desoto Central High School before MSMS, is the daughter of Eric and Lisa Nye.

Liano, who is originally from Starkville, Miss. and attended Starkville High School before MSMS, is the son of Julianty and Kartono Liano.

MSMS was created in 1987 by an act of the Mississippi Legislature and charged with the mission to: “enhance the future of Mississippi by providing innovative learning experiences in a residential environment to meet individual needs of gifted and talented students and by providing quality educational leadership and aggressive outreach programs.” The school was recently recognized by Newsweek magazine as one of the top high schools in America. MSMS was the only school in Mississippi to make the list.

MSMS is the state of Mississippi’s only public, residential high school specifically designed to meet the needs of the state’s most academically gifted students. Students who attend MSMS spend their junior and senior years of high school undergoing rigorous course work in the areas of mathematics, science, technology and the humanities in order to best prepare them for college and beyond. These extraordinary students live and work with other students from all corners of the state of Mississippi. Students are chosen to attend MSMS via a competitive application process. In order to qualify for application students must be legal residents of Mississippi, current high school sophomores and possess a record of class room excellence (GPA of 90 or higher). Students must also complete and submit an application in which they will be required to write two essays, submit a resume, create a project, and secure several recommendations.

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