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North Bergen Science

Issue 17 Spring 2021

North Bergen Science ISSUE #17 5-11-2021 Over 13 months have passed since the start of this pandemic. However as we still continue to navigate these new waters, North Bergen Science and STEM have continued to grow and increase many offerings throughout this year. For example starting next year we will welcome 5th and 6th graders to the new STEAM Academy which will be housed in Kennedy School. It is an exciting time, and throughout this newsletter you will read many stories on what will be coming next. However, it is nice to take the focus off the future and stop to be thankful for the present. We had great news from our seniors who are preparing to go off to college, many with full or almost full scholarships to a multitude of prestigious universities. We medaled in the Hudson County Science Fair and our students still got to attend a variety of after-school and Saturday programs. The teachers have found ways to still bring engineering into the classroom and the use of technology has grown for all stakeholders. So enjoy this newsletter and we at North bergen look forward to continuing our progress. https://www.northbergen.k12.nj.us/

Meet Our Medalists!

Arleen Inclan Aguilar and Roberto Perez brought home RWJ Barnabas/Hudson County Science Showcase silver medals and a second special medal for Arleen from the American Psychological Association. The two seniors in Advanced Research Honors and STEM Academy proved they could be matched up against supersized teams and come out with awards in research. Arleen’s study was The Comparison Between TikTok and Body Image Concerns Among Teenage Girls During The COVID-19 Pandemic. Roberto's was A Critical Comparative Analysis of The Hispanic Population Concerning Cognizance of Systemic 'Lupus Erythematosus.' Both students are in the top ten of the Class of 2021 and both are part of STEM Cohort III. Dr. Keshishian proudly stated that “These medals were due to the student's hard work and dedication to their studies, as well as the herculean effort put in by Dr. Welz and Mrs. Stern-Protz.”

Congrats to Our Medalists at Hudson County Science Showcase. Congrats to Our Valedictorian and Salutatorian STEM Academy Accepts Seventh Cohort STEAM Academy Accepts First Two Cohorts Science Happenings Around the Schools Ms. Cintron's STEM at Home Ms. Ricco & NJ STEM Month STEAM 7th and 8th Enrichment Digital Art with Mr. Rodriguez Math and Finance with Mrs. Antenucci NJ Conservancy with Mrs. Stern-Protz App Design with Dr. Welz PEAK 6th Grade Audubon Society Habitat Passports with Mr. Carline STEM Alumni Visit the Academy Cristina Morocho - Cohort I Jianna Yan Francisco - Cohort II Riya Jain - Cohort I Mario Gonzalez-Tapanes (Coming up...) Spring Graduations FDU Rutgers Science Congratulates Our Peers Biliteracy Seal Congratulations StopTheHate Anti-Bias Art Winner NASA Langley Art Competition Focus on Princeton Programs * Ronald E. Hatcher - Science on Saturdays Series Hosted by Princeton Plasma Physics Labs *Young Women in Science at Princeton *WEB DuBois Graduates NASA Invites North Bergen STEM and STEAM to Fireside Chat with Astronaut Stephanie Wilson New Programs - INSPIRIT AI and Thank You's

North Bergen Science

Issue 17 Spring 2021

Congratulations to Our Valedictorian and Salutatorian!

Vimbisai

and

Mishael

Congratulations to Vimbisai Basvi and Mishael Hernandez on their stunning academic achievements as Valedictorian and Salutatorian for the Class of 2021 of North Bergen High School. Both students were awarded the honors and recognized by Dr. Solter, Superintendent of Schools. Dr. Keshishian added, "I am privileged to be the Chair of STEM Academy, and to see 10 out of the 11 of our graduating students in the top five percent of the graduating class, with six of the top ten being STEM students." "Bruins rise above adversity and challenges, and I am proud to be leading this school every day - and especially on a day like today," stated Richard Locricchio, Principal of North Bergen High School.

Dr. Solter, Dr. Keshishian, Principal Locricchio, VP Somick, Director Rabelo, Mrs. Cruz, Mrs. Marto, Dr. Welz and Mrs. SternProtz all backing up the Valedictorian Vimbisai Basvi and Salutatorian Mishael Hernandez. Special Shoutout to Dr. Bacha for helping Vimbisai on her way to studying Artificial Intelligence and Social Justice.

Guidance Counselors Jocelyn Marto (Mishael's counselor and STEM Academy Guidance Counselor), and Rebecca Cruz (Vimbisai's counselor) were on hand to celebrate and strategize about the next four weeks when most college decisions finish arriving. Mrs. Theresa Rabelo, Director of Student Personnel Services and Nursing for the North Bergen District acknowledged all of the counselors' incredible efforts and said "Our guidance counselors are consistently mapping out courses through which students journey, and when the outcomes and hard work come together - regardless of the goal - we've created a successful experience for all of our high school students and our North Bergen community." Dr. Welz, Media Center Specialist, and Mrs. Stern-Protz, STEM.STEAM Specialist added, "We are proud of all of our students in North Bergen, and we salute Vimbisai and Mishael today, while looking forward to seeing all of our seniors graduate as the Class of 2021!"

This

year in a first for our students, The Gildart Haase School of Engineering at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck offered a three-credit college course in Python programming. We are grateful to them and the Picatinny Arsenal for underwriting the cost so that our students were able to earn engineering credit while in high school. The North Bergen STEM Academy students taking the course had been through a Python class at the Academy, and now they were challenged to delve deeper into the application of the program in order to meet the collegiate challenge and work with renowned professor Dr. Yaoquing Liu [whose] “*research work has been selected as one of the 2018 TechConnect Defense Innovation Awards recognizing the potential positive impact for the warfighter and national security. He received the Best Paper award in the Networks Symposium at the 29th Wireless and Optical Communications Conference (WOCC 2020).” Graduation for the class is in May and we are proud of our NB college credit achievers. *From FDU site - click Dr. Liu's name for full biography

North Bergen Science

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Our seventh round of acceptance letters have been sent and we are looking forward to the upcoming year. STEM is hoping for in-person; lab-based learning to resume, and the Academy was highly competitive with many students vying for only 15-20 seats. Students sent in applications, sat for rigorous assessments and submitted essays to be considered for the program. They went through what many high school seniors must do to attend college. Each year the competition grows and the Cohorts stay small to ensure personalized attention to each student. “With the development and addition of the STEAM Academy, we at STEM are upping our game with new programs, new experiences, and new partnerships in scientific studies,” said Dr. Keshishian, Chair of the Academy. “We know that the future STEAM students will be advanced in areas such as AI (artificial intelligence), and creative/critical thinking and we have to be prepared for that future.” Dr. Solter, Superintendent of Schools added that, “STEM continues to be a model for our students whether they are in a Cohort, or looking to be their best and learn from the many experiences the Academy provides.” Students will be exposed to in-depth Python coding, advanced Geometry, Algebra II, and Honors Biology in their first year. They will also be visiting with, or virtually touring colleges immediately into the program. “The idea that the best colleges are out of reach is a myth,” according to Theresa Rabelo, Director of Student Personnel Services. “The goal is to make sure students know that they are talented, and that their efforts pay off with acceptances and scholarships. We start this at the beginning of freshman year.” “We continue to network, build relationships and grow our offerings,” added Mrs. Stern-Protz, Coordinator of Experiential Learning, “and that is due to the effort of our university and organizational partners. They are a joy to work with and our students benefit from their time and commitment to building experiences that allow student to know they want a career. These partnerships, our incredible teachers at NBHS, and Dr. Welz – our amazing Advanced Honors Research Instructor – they are all what make STEM Academy wholly unique.”

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Issue 17 Spring 2021

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STEAM Academy Applicants Announced Fourth and fifth grade students from all around the North Bergen School District took their assessments, made their videos or wrote their statements, and the very first group of STEAMERS at North Bergen’s newest Academy housed at the John F. Kennedy School has been notified of their acceptances. “One of the best parts of the STEAM Academy is that students apply and reapply each year, so the students currently in the program can reassess where they’re at, and those students who did not get accepted this year, can be motivated to re-apply next year,” stated Dr. Jared Keshishian and Ms. Heather Carline – coChairs of the New Academy. Members of the STEAM Committee, Dr. Solter, Mr. Kornberg (Director of Special Services), Dr. Keshishian, Ms. Carline, Mr. Pascual (Director of Curriculum and Instruction), Ms. Anacker (Supervisor of Elementary Math), Mrs. Teta (Ms. LeJeune), Mr. Bafumi (Principal of Kennedy School), Mrs. Madrid (Vice Principal of Kennedy School), Ms. Morgana (Curriculum Specialist), and Mrs. Stern-Protz (Experiential Learning), have been busy preparing for the Fall 2021 opening. We wish all of the students the best of luck, and are looking forward to welcoming the newest Academy Middle School Cohorts this September!

Student with Make Blocks

Dr. Solter with current G&T Students

Dr. Keshishian observing students learning AI

North Bergen Science

Issue 17 Spring 2021

Science Happenings Around the DIStrict Tower, Bridges and Catapults – Kennedy Kids are Learning At Home Very imaginative projects were assigned to students at Kennedy School by Christine Cintron, sixth-grade science teacher. The students built catapults, bridges or towers as part of learning “off of the computer” at home.

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“Students engineered their design, demonstrated their catapult and explained how it works using potential and kinetic energy. They did a great job and can't wait until the next assignment.” – Ms. Cintron

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North Bergen Science

Issue 17 Spring 2021

Science Happenings Around the DIStrict Kudos to Mrs. Ricco and her classes' feature in the NJSTEM Month Newsletter

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North Bergen Science

Issue 17 Spring 2021

STEAM Winter/spring 2021 Mr. Rodriguez - Digital Art In my Digital Art class, we explored the possibilities of Photoshop and how we can use it to manipulate images and words. The students created fun monsters out of shapes, they restored an old, ripped, black and white photograph, they created a magazine cover (from scratch!), made their name out of their favorite cartoon characters and even transformed a face by changing the skin texture and then placing it in a surreal environment. So much fun, so little time. It was challenging, brain tickling and AWEstanding! Mr. Rodriguez

Evolution by Chris Patel

Name Art - Saajan Shah and Amanda Santos

Photo restoration - Juliana Umana

Fun Monster - Eleni Viachos Magazine Cover - Rashel Rivera

North Bergen Science

Issue 17 Spring 2021

STEAM Winter/spring 2021 Mrs. Antenucci - Math/Finance Students worked with financial math to promote skills for long term financial planning for the future and how to use those skills every day for financial success. We encouraged students to begin thinking about goals and provide some of the tools necessary to achieve them. The students enjoyed the activities and were engaged. At the beginning of the term the students filled out a goal chart divided into short term, medium, and long term goals, and as they learned more by the end of the course they had to see if the original goals were kept and present to the class. T Another activity: as they thought about what type of work they would like to do later in life, they had to consider the jobs that may exist in the future using the U.S. Department of Labor which publishes and places online The Occupational Outlook Handbook with data about major job areas in the U.S. and learn about jobs in different fields." The classes mainly focused on financial responsibility and decision-making, earning income and careers, savings, taxes, and credit." - Mrs. Antenucci

Mrs. Stern-Protz - Saint Peter’s University Earth Day GIS Students from 7th through 11th grade were busy researching and analyzing the New Jersey Conservation Blueprint Geographic Information System (GIS) website in an environmental and historical investigation. Students studied highpriority areas in Morris, Monmouth, Hudson and Bergen counties, as well as the Palisades in looking at development over the past 90 years, and what that meant to the ecological balance of our environment. Thanks to all of the students who created special presentations to mark the completion of the study. "Thanks to SPU, Dr. Garrett-Klute and Mrs. Hojnowski." - Mrs. SternProtz

A. Gao

A. Giraldo-Calle

M. Gomez J. Garcia S. Hodzic G. Jimenez

E. Galvez

F. Ibrahim

A. Lopez-Orellana

C. Marcial

D. Girard I. Martinez

J. Jara

Click on a slide to see the pdf presentation! Click on the globe to learn more about Earth Day!

North Bergen Science

Issue 17 Spring 2021

App design

with dr. welz

Within 5 weeks, students in the 7th and 8th STEAM Enrichment

Week 1: Intro to No-Code Mobile App Design and the Mobile App Development Process

Program learned the importance of no-code mobile app design and the mobile app development process. As mobile app technology

Week 2: Adalo Setup, Toolbars, Screens, Buttons, and Actions

companies continue to remove the code barriers in their app design products, they are essentially empowering 100x more makers.

Week 3: Creating Databases and Publishing a Web App in Adalo

Students learned how to navigate through the no-code platform, Adalo. This platform helps developers utilize drag-and-drop

Week 4: Student Choice and Creativity in Adalo App Development

elements and create & connect databases while building apps. Students built a sample web app with step-by-step instructions and

Week 5: Continuation of App Development and Student Showcase

then ventured out into building their own apps with the help of Dr. Welz.

5-week app design steam enrichment course: class photo

click to view app!

North Bergen Science

Issue 17 Spring 2021

click to view app!

North Bergen Science

Issue 17 Spring 2021

Ms. Carline - Co-Chair of the New STEAM Academy and District Coordinator of Gifted and Talented This year, P.E.A.K. 6 students participated in the New Jersey Audubon Society's Habitat Passport Program. This year the students virtually explored New Jersey’s natural diversity from forests to fields to rivers and beaches. They explored each area’s unique qualities and why the habitat’s plants and animals are so important. The students kept a drawn or digital journal about their impressions and what they learned. Click on each image below to see their full presentations. The journals were submitted to the NJ Audubon Society and they earned a NJ Audubon Junior Naturalist certificate. Congratulations to all! - Heather Carline

Click on a slide to see the pdf presentation! Click on a logo to visit the homepage of NJ Audubon and NJ Conservation Foundation.

North Bergen Science

Issue 17 Spring 2021

Spring Program Graduations

Congratulations go to Angelina Alcivar, Anny Antigua, Denisse Cobo Aldas, Iris Gonzalez, Katherine Espinoza, Paulina Alzate Ramirez, Salsabeel Khalil, Tendai Chimuka, Victoria Spignolio, Amy Grace Hernandez, Delaiah Girard, Hailey Patel, Rashel Rivera, Tebyan Elrigouba, Alex Benitez, Angie Rodriguez, Annika Mezzina, Dev Patel, Mariana Batres, Natalie Majano, Vanessa Cepeda Almonte, Youssef Elmansoury, Aimee Palacios, Amani Karim, David Rodriguez, Hind Al jaludi, Soﬁa Orjuela Parra, Allison Mendoza*, Amy Azogue Irigoyen*, Daniel Adames,* Daniela Poaquiza*, Olha Buhlak*, and Zoubair Belfki* for graduating this Spring from the Fairleigh Dickinson Gildart Haase School of Engineering and Computer Science in Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Cybersecurity and Python for Credit. "These students dedicated their Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. or even 2 p.m. to study and enrich their skills in STEM. We are always grateful to Fairleigh Dickinson University and hope that these programs can continue to the beneﬁt of our students. We support our students' efforts in attaining depth of knowledge and skills in STEM areas," stated Dr. Keshishian. Mrs. Stern-Protz acknowledged the incredible effort that FDU made to keep our students engaged. "They did not skip a beat during Covid, and they even made the programs better by providing hands-on materials through the hard work of Mark Robertson - Gildert Haase' Outreach Coordinator. Thank you so much on behalf of our students." *Graduating with three (3) college credits in Python.

Cheers also go to Emma Rivas, Jayleen Marin-Klinkert, Menna Attia and Omer Ashraf for their 10-week journey into the medical science through the Rutgers SMART (Science, Medicine and Related Topics) offered online this year from January through March 2021. The students studied The Spanish Flu of 1918-1920, HIV, and other community health difﬁculties. The students presented their ﬁndings with their teammates from all over New Jersey, and were received with lots of resounding feedback. Again - congrats!

O. Ashraf

J. Marin -Klinkert

E. Rivas

North Bergen Science

Issue 17 Spring 2021

STEM Alumni In the House! (On Google Meet...) The Academy was very fortunate to have three alumni speak about their experiences after high school, and the "tips of the trade" of academic excellence they had at the Academy that helped them meet the challenges of studying at college. Riya Jain (Cohort I) Cristina Morocho (Cohort I) and Jianna Yan-Francisco (Cohort II), held Zoom meetings that were open to all STEM Academy students. Each presented a picture of what life was like in their first and second years of college, and how studying at the Academy and going through high school at North Bergen helped shape their skills now. Among the topics discussed were choosing the right college, dorming versus living off-campus or at home, food, and rigor of the coursework. Riya strongly suggested that students get their study habits in order and find a group to study with. One of the most important points was the need for good calendaring skills and making sure that when the semester starts, students write all due dates and test dates from the syllabus to the calendar. Cristina pointed out the importance of taking advantage of classes that aren't in the major, just to see if there is a facet that can add to the richness of the college experience. Her goal is to work on front-end computer science, and apply her love of art to help design awesome user experiences. Jianna highlighted that being practical about your living experience is very important to your overall success. She decided to live close to campus in order to have access to more students in her major while being in her own space to study and feel safe and secure. On May 19th, we plan to have Mario Gonzalez Tapanes visit with us so that students get an idea of college from Boston where Mario attends university. All agreed that taking advantage of everything STEM Academy had to offer really helped them to decide what they wanted to pursue and all appreciated the support system that we have in place. We are fortunate to have great grads and hope they visit again!

From left to right: Riya saying hello to students who came early to her talk. Jianna discussing college, Cristina talking about her time at NB STEM.

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Congratulations to Our 24 Students on Earning Their Seals of Biliteracy From the North Bergen High School Website:

Congratulations to all the ESL & World Language teachers that assisted in preparing our 12th grade students during these trying times! ALL of the 24 candidates who presented themselves for the State Seal of Biliteracy assessment passed and will be receiving the seal! This is the largest number of seniors NBHS has ever had receive this honor! Congratulations to all the ESL & World Language teachers who assisted in preparing our 12th grade students during these trying times! The State Seal of Biliteracy (SSB) is a recognition conferred by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction for graduating high school students who have attained a high level of proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing in one or more languages in addition to English.

Camila Garcia Does it Again! Congratulations to Camila Garcia for receiving FIRST PLACE in the "#StopTheHate: Anti-Bias Vision for the Next Generation Youth Competition" from NJ Civil Rights. " Students created an artwork that stands up to bias and hate. Camila will receive a certificate from the Office of the Attorney General, Division on Civil Rights. The winning projects will be featured as part of a multimedia campaign by the Division on Civil Rights as determined by the Division in its discretion. Winners will also: (1) have the opportunity to participate in a roundtable (in virtual format, if necessary) wherein they will be given the opportunity to share their experiences with bias/hate and their ideas on how the government could do a better job communicating with young people; and

Above: Camilla's winning art for #StopTheHate

(2) be designated #NJCivilRights Ambassadors for the year following their selection and will work with DCR in a peer mentoring capacity for other students. This is not Camila's first award in art. Camila was the national winner in the 2020 NASA Langley Student Art Contest, and honorable mention for this year's competition. Mrs. DiGiulio told us that "Camila’s dedication throughout her art career has shown through her high grades, time management, and work ethic. They utilize introspective ideas to create visionary works of art. She is not afraid to ask questions and utilize constructive criticism to improve on her work. She participated in class discussions and show a mature understanding of society. Her ability to relate to others imparts an empathetic nature and willingness to help fellow students. I am very proud of Camila." Camila plans on taking AP Drawing next year and continuing art in college. Camilla Garcia with her National Title of "We Are Going" from the 2020 NASA Langley Space Art Contest

North Bergen Science

Issue 17 Spring 2021

NASA LANGLEY ART CONTESTPARTICIPANTS 2021 North Bergen took home two out of the three awards from New Jersey! Kimberly Madera - 3rd Place 12th Grade

C O N G R AT S !

Elisa Gutierrez

Amanda Bastidas Angel

Jordan Rodriguez Camila Garcie - Honorable Mention 11th Grade

Denish Patel

Sophia Colta

Isabella Gonzalez

Gabriel Paredes

Gabriel Rodriguez

Zuleha Baruti

North Bergen Science

Issue 17 Spring 2021

Focus on... Ronald E. Hatcher Lecture Series at Princeton University (sans bagels)

Photo captured from Ronald E. Hatcher Lecture series Website at Princeton University. Click the image to open the website.

Discovering A Lecture Series as a Delightful Learning Experience During this time of Covid, two priorities that Dr. Keshishian and Ms. Carline set out for the Academy and upcoming Academy was to engage students as much as possible and expect that life at home for many of our students was up-ended. This required searching for new and online opportunities outside of the Zoom and Google Classroom platforms where we were limited. One of the very bright discoveries during this time was when Mrs. Stern-Protz came upon the availability of the Ronald E. Hatcher Lecture series at Princeton University - online. When Mrs. Stern-Protz discovered the level of presenters and the incredible future possibilities of the content, she came up with a certificate program and is sending each student who attended three lectures a certificate of participation, and whomever attended five lectures a certificate of advanced participation. Some of the students who became series fans went to almost every lecture. They were engaged with the topics and fascinated from hearing unique and renowned experts in their fields. "Hopefully next year we can take the student to Princeton on a Saturday to attend in person... with bagels of course!" - Mrs. Stern-Protz and Dr. Keshishian.

Princeton Plasma Physics Lab Young Women in Science Motivating young women who wish to pursue STEM education and STEM careers is still a challenge 10 years after the STEM phenomenon surfaced in education today. The North Bergen STEM Academy was invited to an online webinar dedicated to a day of young women from middle to high school coming together to learn and engage in many possible paths through STEM. Dr. Kathryn Wagner gave a spectacular chemistry demonstration that allowed the students to learn that college is just a continuation of what students learn in high school. She stressed that university is not some mysterious center of unknown knowledge, but a place to launch what one has already learned into a multitude of possibilities in solving problems that already exist. Dr. Steffi Diem gave a rousing talk in her experience as a woman in physics and engineering and she proved that women can be scientists as well as wives and mothers. Her biggest takeaway? Failure will happen, but it only serves as a place that begs the question - "OK, what else will work to get us closer to solving the problem?" Our North Bergen STEM students were moved and motivated by her talk. Camilla said "Learning about all the stories about women in Stem and all of the stigmas some of the passed and failures that some of them went through. It was a really good opportunity! Thank you!" Kelly added, "Thank you for allowing me to participate in this!! Dr. Diem’s story was very inspiring, and I’m so grateful to have been able to hear it!!" Mrs. Stern-Protz and Ms. Carline concluded, "Thanks especially to Deedee Ortiz, organizer of this event, and as we look for inspiration for girls in STEM, we hope that we continue to have the privilege of being a part of PPPL YWS each year."

Photos captured from the PPPL Young Women in Science Website. Dr. Steffi Diem gave a brilliant keynote at the conclusion of the day. Click on the photos to be directed to PPPL's YWS website.

North Bergen Science

Issue 17 Spring 2021

W.E.B. DuBois Spring Classes Graduate in May Our students have benefitted from the W.E.B. DuBois Accelerated Learning Academy (ALA) for a number of years. And over the years, we have had a number of wonderful donors who chose to underwrite our bright students who attended and attend the program. This year, North Bergen STEM Academy is graduating an unprecedented eight students from eighth grade through 12th grade, including our Valedicatorian, Vimbisai Basvi. Congratulations to Bryan Gramajo, David Lopez, Ashley Cangana, Omer Ashraf, Jiya Patel, Nicole Renteria and Xavier Jauregui. While two of our donors wanted to remain anonymous, thanks goes to the Hudson County PBA for helping to underwrite this year's graduates. Thanks to Mayor Sacco, Dr. Solter and the North Bergen Board of Education, and to Lt. Rene Felix, PBA President, and all of the men and women who serve our community, we give thank with big hearts to big heroes!

North Bergen Science

Issue 17 Spring 2021

North Bergen STEM Gets Invitation to Fireside Chat With Astronaut Stephanie Wilson North Bergen was invited this year to be part of 1,000 students around the country, who got to sit in on an interview with NASA Astronaut Stephanie Wilson. Mrs. Stern-Protz received the invitation from the NASA Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM), and gathered STEM and STEAM students from 6th through 9th grades to be part of the call. Students heard about how Ms. Wilson was able to go through the astronaut program, have successful flights and missions to the International Space Station, and eventually be promoted to Commander Wilson in her post-flight career. Students were thrilled to be participating in the live event and posted their appreciation to NASA, JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory and OSTEM on their specialized classroom messages. Gabriel F "It was a cool event! My question was already answered because someone else had the same one."

Stephanie Wilson - Photo - NASA

Daniel G "Thank you" Ferris I "Thank you very much I greatly appreciate your concern for our education" Jorge J "It was awesome! Thank you very much Astronaut Wilson for an unforgettable experience." Paulo P "It was great to hear her experiences, thank you." Alana A "I thought it was really fascinating and I really enjoyed hearing Miss Wilson answering all of these questions!! Thank you so much! :)" Delaiah G "It was an amazing experience :) I feel so honored to have been invited, thank you!" Benjamin D "Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity! My question was able to be answered, and this was very fun to attend!" Special Thanks goes to Matthew Pearce, Goddard Institute of Space Studies and NASA Office of STEM Engagement Specialist. His continuing work with Mrs. Stern-Protz at the Academy allows us to be part of these special events, and we are grateful for the opportunities OSTEM provides.

New Summer STEM

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning have been around for a long time. This summer, Amy AI will be attending Inspirit AI, a program developed and launched by MIT and Stanford University graduates. Amy will be working with other high school students from around the world in learning how to teach technology to recognize, build data, parse knowledge and make decisions. In addition to high school, INSPIRIT has programs for middle school students, and a teacher training course for those schools interested in offering AI as part of their curriculum. Can't wait to hear all about Amy's experience! From the website: "AI Scholars inspires curious high school students globally by exposing them to the defining technology of our times: Artificial Intelligence. AI is already present everywhere: in our voice-activated devices, smartphone face recognition systems, and autonomous vehicles. The potential to apply this technology for good is limitless. This program, developed and taught exclusively by a team of alumni and graduate students from Stanford and MIT, provides guidance on initiating AI projects, pursuing AI ventures, and preparing for college. Learn more about our inperson or live online program."

Three of our STEM Academy students will be venturing out to solve a murder in the pines! Stockton University's renowned summer camp program (as seen on the Today Show) is a wonderful mix of STEM learning and forensic studies. Stockton University invites you to be part of Stockton CSI, a summer camp for high school students who want hands-on experience with a criminal investigation and trial. Now in its 15th successful year, Stockton University’s CSI Summer Camp is a non-profit program where campers work as part of an elite team of investigators and professionals to solve a murder. Campers are involved with every phase of the legal process, from the crime scene investigation to the criminal murder trial. The camp is currently sold out for the summer of 2021, but we can't wait to hear all about it from Nicholas, Caitlyn and Daniela. Stay tuned!

North Bergen Science

Issue 17 Spring 2021 SPECIAL THANKS TO Mayor Nicholas J. Sacco Dr. George Solter, Jr., Superintendent

Mr. Allen Pascual, Director of Curriculum and Instruction The North Bergen Board of Education Mr. Richard Locricchio, Principal of North Bergen High School The STEM Academy Committee

Art Harper Program Fairleigh Dickinson University Heather Carline Hudson County STEM Showcase Maria Antonucci Mrs. Nancy Hovan NASA Langley Space Center NASA Goddard CCRI, New York City NASA Office of STEM Engagement NB District Science Department Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory Princeton University Ray Rodriguez Rutgers University Saint Peter’s University Stevens Institute of Technology W.E.B. DuBois Program

We are grateful for, and are continuously seeking donations and partner projects from universities, companies and organizations. Feel free to contact: Dr. Jared Keshishian at jkeshishian3@northbergen.k12.nj.us and/or Mrs. Stephanie Stern-Protz at sstern@northbergen.k12.nj.us.