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Five Wakatipu High year 13 students are attending the prestigious 67th London International Youth Science Forum from July 19 till August 1.
Heidi Green, Sasha Boyt, Isla McGlynn, Sammy Sison and Lisa Bouvet will be among 500 students from 90 countries learning from world-leading scientists and visiting top UK university departments during the 14-day Imperial College-hosted residential summer camp.
Sasha, 17, who is specialising in biology and considering physiotherapy and medical imaging as career options, says she applied "because it sounded like a crazy experience I wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else".
"We really got a chance to personalise our trip by choosing the specialist lectures and the research facility visits.
"I’m just most excited to see what those leading scientists have to say in my topics I’ve chosen."
Heidi, 17, who has always wanted to be a vet but may also study human medicine at university, says "I think it’ll be like such an eye-opening experience".
"All the different facilities we maybe don’t have here, the professors we get to hear from, it’s pretty like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
One lecture she will take is entitled ‘Making a heart from scratch’.
Heidi, who is studying biology, chemistry and physics at Wakatipu High, says there will also be time to take in some sightseeing and musicals.
Fundraising has been a huge exercise for the London-bound students — just the camp is about $6000, never mind the expensive flights.
Sasha has done waitressing and also housekeeping, even staying at a hotel between shifts, while Heidi has sold Cookie Time cookies, worked at Kmart and looked after horses.
