“South Whidbey High School students practice pipetting at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. From the left are Patrick Boyle, Sara Pierce Magdalik and Marike Svoboda.Theresa Naujack photoSouth Whidbey High School students and some 400 of their peers statewide participated in the Hutch High symposium on April 5 at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center’s Lake Union campus in Seattle.The symposium was a half-day, hands-on science fair. The students were introduced to a variety of scientific disciplines. For example, South Whidbey representatives Patrick Boyle, Sara Pierce Magdalik and Marike Svoboda learned how to accurately measure volumes using pipettes during the pipetting lab section of Hutch High. Pipetting is an essential technique that most scientists use daily.Also in the hands-on sessions, the students learned to how isolate and spool DNA, and how to prepare microscopic slides of dividing cells to show the chromosomes.The program included scientific activities as well as seminars on topics such as bone marrow transplantation, genetics, cancer prevention and laboratory techniques.The goal of Hutch High is to give high school students exposure to scientists and the cutting-edge research going on at the Hutchinson Center. “