Administrators Funding Science Program Independently

A popular science program has been in motion for 23 years, but now state lawmakers cut all its funding, officials in Huntingdon County are fundraising independently.

Science in motion was started by faculty at Juniata College in Huntingdon.

"Essentially it's a shared resources program where a college or university hosts a site," said Dr. Chuck Yohn, administrator for Science in Motion at Juniata College. "It buys all the equipment to create these hands on laboratories."

Twelve Pennsylvania colleges and universities participated in the program. Now four have decided to stop funding.

Teachers at Huntingdon Middle School argue it allows them to give their students hands on experience in the class room.

Science in Motion provides microscopes, computers and other equipment to schools on a weekly basis.

Yohn said the program ran on a $1.9 million budget last year in 337 schools.

Now to help Juniata College's program, teachers have even taken a 20 percent salary cut or become volunteers to help save on costs.

It will cost approximately $200,000 to run a program independently.

Yohn is still working with area districts and instructors to help fund their program.