Published: July 19, 1999

Some may find philosophy to be mind-boggling, but 28 Colorado high school students will take philosophy head on at the Summer Philosophy Institute on the ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ-Boulder campus on July 25-31.

Participants, who are in grades nine through 12 or are incoming freshman, will live in ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ residence halls and attend six hours of class each day involving lectures, debates and readings of classical and contemporary philosophers. The classes consist of lectures and discussions on such topics as personal identity, existentialism and environmental ethics.

Participants pay $400 to attend the institute, however scholarships are available to cover the fee. This year eight students received scholarships.

The institute, in its fifth year on the Boulder campus, was started by the philosophy department and the ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ-Boulder Center for Values and Social Policy. The program was established to encourage students from culturally, economically and geographically diverse backgrounds to study philosophy.

"We want to offer a diverse group of Colorado high school students an exposure to college life in general and to philosophical subjects and skills," said ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ-Boulder Associate Professor Claudia Mills, director of the summer program.

Following is a list of Colorado students who have been accepted to attend the ¶¶Òõ¶ÌÊÓƵ-Boulder 1999 Summer Philosophy Institute:

Campo

Campo School: Sosten Rivale

Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs School: Matthew Breault, Christopher Cadigan, Ben Custer, Andrea Donnelly, Kenneth Graham, Andrew Hays, Heidi Hiltbrunner, and Nikki Lehrecke

Denver

George Washington High School: Katie Broyles

Kirk

Idalia High School: Khang Chim

Lakewood

Bear Creek High School: Patricia Gimenez and Seth Schermerhorn

Littleton

Arapahoe High School: Michael Buck

Louisville

Monarch High School: Scott Massie

Meeker

Meeker High School: Skyler Hutchins

Monument

Colorado Springs School: Stephanie Gibson and Mark Shottes

Northglenn

Northglenn High School: Morgan Kennedy

Ouray

Ouray High School: Kathryn Bixler

Pueblo

Pueblo Central High School: Cameron Omlid

Salida

Salida High School: Jason Naylor

Silt

Colorado Springs School: Cole Buerger

Simla

Big Sandy High School: Nathan Lubchenco

Westminster

Northglenn High School: Lindsey Clemson

Woodland Park

Woodland Park High School: Karin Carr