Mustang student selected as Youth Enjoy Science Oklahoma Scholar
Avery Frings (Photo provided)
By Jacob Sturm
news@mustangpaper.com
A Mustang student will get a quality experience this summer as part of the Youth Enjoy Science (YES) Oklahoma program.
Avrey Frings, a sophomore at Mustang High School, was selected for the highly selective program as one of a maximum of 10 students to receive the opportunity.
This program will take place on the University of Oklahoma campus in the form of an eight-week course for Native American high school students interested in healthcare careers.
Students who attend the program will receive concurrent enrollment credit and gain
experience in state-of-the-art laboratories.
Frings will also be partnered with mentors doing research at the Stevenson Cancer Research Center. Mustang Director of Communications, Kirk Wilson, said this is the first time in at least the past five year that Mustang has had a student selected for the program.
“That’s still a pretty selective group for only 10 students out of the entirety of the state (to be selected),” Wilson said. “It’s pretty selective and pretty special. So, this young lady has got a bright future ahead.”
As for the school district, these opportunities students are getting show good signs about the district.
“We’re just super proud of her,” Wilson said. “This took a lot of initiative on her part because this is something she had to seek out and apply for. So, this is not something that was handed to her or anything like that. To be accepted into a program like this, it just goes to show the quality of this young lady and the possibilities that lay in front of her. We’re of course proud that she is a Mustang Bronco, and feel like our school system is top-notch. And this just goes to help support that claim.”
Frings was accepted into the Oklahoma Indian Student Honor Society via the Oklahoma Council for Indian Education back in May of 2022. Acceptance is based on stellar academic performance with at least a 3.9 Grade Point Average, along with service, leadership involvement and indigenous cultural participation.
She will also receive a stipend for participating in the program.
According to the YES Oklahoma website, the program description includes aiming to inspire Native American students in STEM subjects and particularly the Cancer research and prevention.
The program also provides teachers with resources for developing curriculum directly meeting unique needs of Native American students. The website also says the program looks to increase awareness of cancer and emphasize the importance of cancer research and prevention in Native American communities within the state.
