Mathematicians and statisticians from around the world descended onto Pullman to attend the regional conference of the International Biometric Society (IBS) in early June. Joining leading experts in data science and biometrics were several special guests: high school students from the Kalispel Tribe in northwestern Washington.

The eleven students from Cusick are participants in a collaborative tutoring program between the WSU Department of Mathematics and Statistics and the Camas Learning Center (CLC), an in-school and after-school program managed by the Kalispel Tribe. They were invited to the IBS conference by Regents Professor Jan Dasgupta, department chairperson and the current president of the IBS western North American region. Dasgupta saw an opportunity to share the Pullman academic experience with both leading researchers and the students tutored by her undergraduate students. 

“The IBS conference includes an Access and Opportunity workshop focused on engaging local students, and we wanted them to experience WSU and see the possibilities that exist in STEM education and careers,” Dasgupta said. 

Undergraduate students from the WSU “Future Teachers of Math” club typically tutor the high schoolers via one-on-one Zoom consultations, supported by CLC staff. The tutoring program has evolved since 2023, but the focus has always remained on student math preparation, for those learning and those teaching the subject. The partnership creates stronger pathways to both higher education and STEM opportunities for students in rural and tribal communities across Washington.

Integrating high school students into the IBS conference proceedings is not a new concept. In 2024, the annual conference’s Access and Opportunity Workshop invited community college students from the Denver area to network with attendees and participate in a data skills seminar. The next year, the workshop invited students from around Whistler, B.C. to the conference proceedings. This year, it was time for the students from Cusick. 

Eleven students and four chaperones made the trip from Pend Oreille County to Pullman, where they stayed in Stimson Hall as an on-campus dormitory experience. While the students’ conference activities included hands-on experiences with biostatistics, data science, and biometry analysis, they were also treated to a campus facilities tour. Physics professor Guy Worthy provided a tour of the WSU Planetarium, and Squeak Meisel from the Department of Art led students on a tour of the art facilities and the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at WSU. Other tour locations included the Veterinary Teaching Hospital and the University Recreation Center for some earned relaxation time in the pool. 

Cross-discipline researchers also sat down for a panel discussion with the students, discussing their education, career, and life experiences. The speakers included Denise Dillard, director of the Institute for Research and Education to Advance Community Health (IREACH); Mikaela Nishida, PhD scholar in statistics from University of California, Irvine; and Courtney Meehan, Dean of the WSU College of Arts and Sciences. 

“One of the most important things we can do as a university is help students see new possibilities for themselves,” said Dean Meehan. “Hosting international conferences like this on our campus creates powerful opportunities for students to interact with researchers and explore potential career paths firsthand. These connections can have a lasting impact long after they leave Pullman.”

NAVASOTA, Texas (KBTX) – For many Texans, the Fourth of July is about fireworks and family cookouts. At Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site, it’s also about standing where Texas’ own independence story began, and marking a milestone in how the Lone Star State became part of the nation it celebrates.

The Texas historic site, set on 293 acres of parkland along the Brazos River, is known as “Where Texas Became Texas.” It is the place where 59 delegates met and signed the Texas Declaration of Independence from Mexico on March 2, 1836, launching what would become the Republic of Texas.

From 1836 to 1846, Texas existed as a separate nation, before the question of annexation came to the forefront. Site staff say Washington-on-the-Brazos offers a “bookended” look at the Republic’s decade-long history because discussions about joining the United States also took place there and were ultimately voted on in the property.

This year’s July 4 programming is designed to connect those chapters of Texas history with the national holiday, including a commemoration tied directly to the Lone Star being added to the American flag.

“This is also the 180th anniversary of when Texas was added to the American flag,” said Chandler Wahrmund, assistant site manager for the Fanthorp Inn State Historic Site, which is part of the broader Republic of Texas Complex.

A historic site with multiple stops

Washington-on-the-Brazos includes several major attractions:

• Visitor Center: The recommended starting point for guests. It features interactive exhibits presenting a timeline of the Texas Revolution and includes the Museum Store, with snacks and Texas-themed items. The Visitor Center is free and is where visitors can gather information and purchase entry tickets for the site’s paid attractions.
• Independence Hall: A replica building that sits on the spot where the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed, allowing visitors to visualize where that pivotal moment unfolded.
• Star of the Republic Museum: A central museum on the grounds focused on the Republic era.
• Barrington Living History Farm: A living-history area that interprets life in the Republic of Texas period through demonstrations and activities.

The historic site is also the core of the Republic of Texas Complex, which includes Fanthorp Inn, a preserved 19th-century stagecoach inn in nearby Anderson.

July 4 events across the grounds

Staff say this year’s July 4 celebration will include activities happening throughout the site, with scheduled programs at key times.

According to site staff, the day includes:

• Flag raising ceremony at 11 a.m.
• Readings of the American Declaration of Independence at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
• Star of the Republic Museum cockade-making, creating patriotic lapel decorations
• Barrington Living History Farm games, including trap ball, a precursor to baseball
• Townsite activities at Hatfield’s Exchange, a recreated high-class bar from the period, with lemonade and other period-inspired nonalcoholic drinks for visitors

Wahrmund said the day is a chance to revisit the country’s founding words, and understand why they still matter.

“I love to read the words of Thomas Jefferson on the day, July 4th, to really understand why we exist as a nation,” he said.

Hours and admission

Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site will be open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on July 4, and admission is free all day.

With 150,000 people expected to attend Saturday’s Fourth of July festivities on the National Mall in Washington DC, locals and tourists alike may be looking for alternative options to view fireworks on America’s 250th birthday.

Washington DC will offer a secondary firework show on the 4th, and there will be plenty of areas in the city and surrounding neighborhoods to catch the big firework display at the National Mall.

Here’s a look at some of the best places to watch the July 4 fireworks in Washington DC.

Where can you watch fireworks in Washington DC on July 4th?

The National Mall will be the most popular area to watch fireworks, with President Donald Trump promising “the largest fireworks show in history.” Officials say 850,000 firework shells will be launched, potentially breaking a Guinness World Record.

But you don’t need to be at the crowded mall and its strict security measures in order to watch the display.

The organizers of the firework show, Freedom 250, say there will also be viewing spots at Hains Point, Columbia Marina, Gravelly Point, RFK Stadium, Meridian Hill Park, Union Station, Lower Senate Park and Upper Senate Park.

Other popular areas to watch the fireworks include the Cardozo Education Campus in Columbia Heights, the Washington National Cathedral in northwest DC, Lady Bird Johnson Park off the Potomac River and the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court Building on Capitol Hill.

Washington DC officials have also released an interactive map that allows you to see your view of the fireworks from any place in the city.

Are there any other fireworks shows in Washington DC on July 4th?

Anacostia Park will serve as the viewing area for a separate fireworks display that will be concurrent with the National Mall fireworks, which are expected to begin at 11 p.m.

DC officials say you can enter the park through Marion Barry Ave. SE, Nicholson St. SE or the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail near the Skate Pavilion.

The event is free to the public, as is the National Mall’s show.