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YSI wraps up camp
YSI ends.jpg
A towering stack of canned foods was donated to Warren County Schools’ Family Resource Center. The items were collected during the two-week YSI program, which ended Friday. Pictured front, from left, are Alliana Sanders, Oliver Garcia, Wilson Dunlap, Kathleen McVey, Ryker Readus and Rayder Crim. Behind the canned foods are Canaan Parris, Maci Parsley, Avery Bolding, Family Resource Center co-director Delia Walker and YSI co-director Tim Fariss. - photo by Lisa Hobbs

Young Scholars Institute bid farewell to another successful year on Friday.

“I enjoyed it,” said student Abigail Eckel. “The trip to Fall Creek Falls was my favorite. If I get invited next year, I’d love to do YSI again. YSI is so much fun.” 

The summer camp for high-achieving students offered two weeks of different trips where the students learned about the past. An invitation is required for participation. Approximately 500 students were involved this year. 

Also among the trips were ones to Old Stone Fort, Splash Island, Western and Atlantic Railroad, Warren County Memorial Airport, Bridgestone Learning Center, Three Star Cinema, Black History Museum of Warren County, Park Theater, and McMinnville Gilley Pool, just to name a few destinations. 

The cool dip in the local pool is usually a much loved activity and continues to be so – Leeloo Grissom, Anaston Yates and Hailey Geesling all selected Gilley Pool as their favored activity. 

An end-of-the-program celebration was held at West Elementary’s gymnasium on Friday morning. 

“I’m tired, but it’s a good kind of tired,” said Kevin Dunlap, who co-directs the program alongside Tim Fariss. 

Fariss shared that sentiment and added, “With this being our first year as co-directors, we didn’t know how it would go. We were a bit nervous, but it went well. We’re pleased.” 

This was the 38th year for YSI. According to the oldest scrapbook kept, the program started in 1984 when Dunlap was 6 years old.

“The Southern Standard has done an awesome job of chronicling our activities,” said Dunlap. “We appreciate the continued support by the newspaper for YSI.” 

Also given special recognition during the event were the numerous high school student volunteers – Emma Dillon, Ila Adcock, Ashlyn Reagan, Brooklyn Vinson, Hunter Fults, Ethan Basham, Isaiah Walls, Gavin Mason, Brooks Dunlap, Jaymin Buevara, Caitlyn Adams, Macie Newby and Noah Pack. 

During the 10-day program students were asked to bring in nonperishable food donations and collected was 347 items. Those were donated to Family Resource Center co-director Delia Walker.