JUSTIN COOK The Roanoke Times

Geneticist Tara Phelps-Durr (left) laughs with Roanoke students as she shows them around her Radford University lab during the the G.R.O.W., or Girls Rising Onto Womanhood, mentoring program, which aims to give students an idea of what college can offer women, particularly in the sciences.

Two Blacksburg High students want to know what you think about smoking in restaurants. And, depending on the results, they plan to petition town businesses to become smoke-free.

Seniors Doug Mullendore and David Bales are working on the 86 Campaign, which is sponsored through Virginia's anti-tobacco advocacy group Y Street. (As a verb, "86" means to get rid of.)

Both teens received a $2,000 grant from the organization and plan to write a 30-page manual and presentation on the topic for a state leadership conference this spring.

A Blacksburg High marketing teacher proposed the project to the students, but they said they wanted to take on the social issue because it's an important topic.

"Me and Doug both are against tobacco and all that," Bales said. "So we thought it would be a good idea."

The survey, which can be picked up at the high school or at 86thesmoke.com, asks a series of questions about the dining experience.

They want to complete the survey by the month's end.

Roanoke mentoring group tours Radford University

Four students from Roanoke city schools toured Radford University on Tuesday to get an idea of what college can offer women, particularly in the sciences.

Brittani Taylor, a freshman at William Fleming High School, and Sara Trent, Briana Preston and Brianna Sprouse, all eighth-graders at Breckinridge Middle School, are part of the G.R.O.W., or Girls Rising Onto Womanhood, mentoring program.

Breckinridge Middle teacher Stephanie Doyle, the state's teacher of the year, began the program last year.

"You open the heart, you open the mind. I really believe that," Doyle said.

After her program was publicized, Radford University officials contacted her. Doyle jumped at the chance.

"Urban kids need experiences like these," she said.

The girls went on a campus tour and visited forensic labs, the school's planetarium, a virtual reality lab, nursing facilities and other science-related research areas.

"I thought it was going to be really boring, but I actually learned a lot," Taylor said.

She is thinking about studying forensic science or medicine in college, and she asked several questions of anthropologist Donna Boyd in Radford's Forensic Science Institute.

"It just opens doors for them, gives them opportunities they wouldn't have," Doyle said.

She said she wants to add two students to the program every year and provide more projects for them. She is also applying for nonprofit status.

The girls already have visited Washington, D.C., this year.

Doyle said she sees opportunities for similar programs in more rural regions, too.

Christiansburg church starts tutoring program

St. Paul United Methodist Church in Christiansburg is planning a volunteer tutoring program for students at Christiansburg Middle School. The church is looking for adults to take on one-on-one tutoring in reading.

To volunteer, contact Jennifer Poff Cooper at 381-5854 or cooperjp@nrvunwired.net.

Anna L. Mallory covers events and issues affecting Montgomery County schools and beyond. If you have information you'd like featured, e-mail anna.mallory@roanoke.com. You also can visit Chalk Dust, the New River Valley's education news source, at blogs.roanoke.com/chalkdust.