August/ September 2014 ISSUE
Recent Happenings and Projects
STEM Fish Camp
By: Rebecca Dalrymple
STEM camp is an eye opener for new freshmen who are entering the STEM Academy, as it allows the incoming freshman to experience the challenges of working as a team. This camp also gradually introduces problem solving and project-based learning (PBL) to those new to STEM. Given the tools, the students had to use their resources in order to complete the tasks they were given, meanwhile they were having fun.
On the other hand, working in a team is sometimes hard. STEM camp can show the freshmen how communication is a huge part of a team. “The hardest activity was making the catapult, my partner did not listen to a word I said,” stated Caleb Wallen. Although sometimes working in a group is hard, the STEM teachers want to make sure each person has good understanding of the challenges that might be presented in the STEM Academy.
Likewise, STEM camp is a great way of letting the incoming students have a glimpse of what may be expected while in the academy. The freshmen are teamed up with their peers and the upperclassmen and given a simple, yet challenging activity to complete the most effective way that they can. “The expectation I got from STEM camp was that the Academy was going to be difficult, but rewarding,” explained freshman Caleb Wallen. STEM camp is a great way to encourage and welcome the freshmen, while preparing them for future opportunities to succeed as a team.
By: Rebecca Dalrymple
STEM camp is an eye opener for new freshmen who are entering the STEM Academy, as it allows the incoming freshman to experience the challenges of working as a team. This camp also gradually introduces problem solving and project-based learning (PBL) to those new to STEM. Given the tools, the students had to use their resources in order to complete the tasks they were given, meanwhile they were having fun.
On the other hand, working in a team is sometimes hard. STEM camp can show the freshmen how communication is a huge part of a team. “The hardest activity was making the catapult, my partner did not listen to a word I said,” stated Caleb Wallen. Although sometimes working in a group is hard, the STEM teachers want to make sure each person has good understanding of the challenges that might be presented in the STEM Academy.
Likewise, STEM camp is a great way of letting the incoming students have a glimpse of what may be expected while in the academy. The freshmen are teamed up with their peers and the upperclassmen and given a simple, yet challenging activity to complete the most effective way that they can. “The expectation I got from STEM camp was that the Academy was going to be difficult, but rewarding,” explained freshman Caleb Wallen. STEM camp is a great way to encourage and welcome the freshmen, while preparing them for future opportunities to succeed as a team.
Learning at the Amon Carter
By: Axel Besa On September 3rd, 2014, the junior U.S. history students visited the Amon Carter Art Museum of History, located in downtown Fort Worth. From the architecture of the building to the massive variety of paintings within, the museum was interesting both inside and out. With the amazing art also came amazing hospitality. The STEM students had a personal museum tour guide, Mrs. Ward, who made it very clear that she wanted the students to feel welcome. She told them many times, “Don’t be afraid to the approach the paintings.” The art pieces located inside of the museum were both unique and creative, and they really displayed how paintings and sculptures can portray different messages. The whole point of going to the museum was to see how the paintings and sculptures relate to history, and for the students to learn how art can represent a specific period of history. For example, there was one sculpture of an African-American slave who was sitting in a 'thinking pose' with broken chains on his hands, making it look like he had maybe just escaped from his owner. He looked to be a very tough and strong man, but he also had a look of fear and anger on his face. A junior student commented on this piece saying, "We later found out that the man was indeed a slave and the sculpture of him was representing all slaves during that time. They weren’t free yet, but they wanted to be. All his muscle showed that he had been put through tough working conditions perhaps on a plantation." Going to the museum let the students get a unique, real-world look into the Gilded Age and the Progressive Area -- a view that they might not have gotten from just researching online or looking in the textbook. It was apparent that everyone enjoyed the museum because even on the bus ride back to the school, Junior student Bashir Dennis couldn’t stop talking about the free time they were given in the museum at the end of the tour. He said, “Being free at the end of the tour let me look at any artwork I wanted.” Overall, students agreed that the experience was amazing, and that it truly represented what the STEM Academy is all about. |
Invading the Outdoor Learning Center
By: Brandon Garcia
The STEM Academy visited the Outdoor Learning Center on September 10, 2014. The students were tested from multiple angles on their leadership, teamwork, productivity, and communication. From the freshmen to the seniors, everyone had great time at the OLC. Many teachers commented on the day saying they enjoyed watching the students work together to complete multiple challenges. The students faced challenges that varied from making an air conditioning unit out of various parts and a cooler to being able to fit the entire team of anywhere from 7 to 10 members on a tarp that gets smaller in area. Ms. Lloyd commented on the latter activity, saying, "It was a blast getting to see the students outside of their typical school environment. We all enjoyed seeing them get creative to accomplish their tasks." The students were tested on many skills through these activities, and they learned a lot about teamwork, leadership, and perserverance.
The STEM camera crew interviewed students and teachers both during the trip and after the trip. They were asked to comment on the overall outcome of the annual OLC trip and how they thought the trip reflected STEM. A large majority of those interviewed answered “Teamwork”. Repeatedly, teams stated that teamwork is needed both at the OLC and within STEM, and went on to add that students must collaborate with their teammates in order for everyone to succeed.
The video below documents the entire day's activities, and includes intermittent interviews with facilitators and students alike.
By: Brandon Garcia
The STEM Academy visited the Outdoor Learning Center on September 10, 2014. The students were tested from multiple angles on their leadership, teamwork, productivity, and communication. From the freshmen to the seniors, everyone had great time at the OLC. Many teachers commented on the day saying they enjoyed watching the students work together to complete multiple challenges. The students faced challenges that varied from making an air conditioning unit out of various parts and a cooler to being able to fit the entire team of anywhere from 7 to 10 members on a tarp that gets smaller in area. Ms. Lloyd commented on the latter activity, saying, "It was a blast getting to see the students outside of their typical school environment. We all enjoyed seeing them get creative to accomplish their tasks." The students were tested on many skills through these activities, and they learned a lot about teamwork, leadership, and perserverance.
The STEM camera crew interviewed students and teachers both during the trip and after the trip. They were asked to comment on the overall outcome of the annual OLC trip and how they thought the trip reflected STEM. A large majority of those interviewed answered “Teamwork”. Repeatedly, teams stated that teamwork is needed both at the OLC and within STEM, and went on to add that students must collaborate with their teammates in order for everyone to succeed.
The video below documents the entire day's activities, and includes intermittent interviews with facilitators and students alike.
Developing Innovative Technologies: What's Happening Now
By: Allison Gray In 2010, Google announced its goal of creating autonomous, or self-driving, cars. Sebastian Thrun, the leader of the Google car project, states that their goal is “to help prevent traffic accidents, free up people’s time and reduce carbon emissions by fundamentally changing car use.” Google is currently testing their cars. These cars, which are modified Toyota Prius, use detailed maps collected by manually driven cars to navigate. They are a combination of lasers, cameras, and radar sensors to detect obstacles such as other cars. The cars utilize both an on board computer, as well as computer banks to process the information they gather. The software guiding the car is called "Google Chauffeur". However, there are many problems with the self-driving cars. For example, if the sun is behind a stoplight, the car cannot determine what color the light is. Though it has safely driven 700,000 miles in a variety of environments, such as city traffic, mountain roads, and highways, it will be years before the cars are ready for widespread use. Still, Google cars have only been in three accidents. One was near Google headquarters in California, but Google claimed the car was being manually driven at the time of the crash. In the other two, the Google car was rear-ended at stoplights. Google says that this was the fault of human operators who rear-ended the car. In conclusion, Google cars are currently allowed to be tested on public roads in four states: California, Florida, Nevada, and Michigan. A law in Texas may also be passed, allowing autonomous vehicles on public roads. According to one website, the technology for Google cars may be ready in as little as two to four years. However, according to Insurance Information Institute president Robert Hartwig, “It’s a legal morass right now, and unfortunately it will take court decisions to work this out.” Because of these problems, Google cars are not expected to be on the market for another fifteen to twenty years. To read more about the Google car, visit http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/google-self-driving-car-article-1.1924691 |
STUDENT SPOTLIGHTS
Spotlighting STEM in Athletics: Austin Navarette
By: Ayo Football is back, and for the STEM students who are involved in this sport, life couldn’t be more stress-filled or exciting. For a better look into such a life, this month’s issue lets readers enter the mind of Varsity QB and STEM honor student Austin Navarrette. This informative interview shows how he balances being such a multifaceted, well-rounded student. The first word that comes to mind in relation to Austin's upcoming year as a STEM student in football is change: new coaches, more traditional, non-STEM classes and teachers, and a whole new year. With these changes must come adaptation. Austin referred to the many changes this year as “a huge curve-ball” and said, “I had to learn to plan out most of my [upcoming] activities and make sure that I use almost all of my free-time to improve as a student, as well as an athlete.” Considering the amount of activities Austin participates in, it takes a large amount of work to maintain the balancing act between school, work, football, and friends. Maintaining this balancing act requires a process, which Austin was happy to share with readers, “I just have to make sure that I plan most of my activities out before the week starts. Once I do that, as the week goes along, I've learned to really prioritize activities and opportunities as they come along throughout the week.” Austin even said that at times he was forced to turn down friends because of school, work, or practice. The process has been a little more demanding for Austin than for most student-athletes because of his responsibility as a STEM student, but through dedication and sacrifice student-athletes succeed. When asked what he wanted to leave readers with, Austin enthusiastically added, “ I would like to say how 'bout them Northwest Texans! ” |
Spotlighting a Senior: Ryan Rodgers
by: Kyle Hoselton
Summer is over and school has a started on a high note, especially for STEM senior Ryan Rodgers. Ryan has been a senior for less than a month and he has already won the STEM t-shirt contest. For the third year in a row, Ryan’s design will be worn throughout the STEM academy. This is just one of many clear indicators that Ryan will be doing big things in his final year in the STEM Academy at NHS.
During his years in STEM, Ryan has participated in the Fredericksburg rocket launch, the school of the future project, and the trebuchet contest. Ryan is involved in the robotics club, STEM council, academic decathlon, philosophy club, and the national honors society. This year he plans to create a working transonic rocket in Aerospace-2, and wants to raise the money needed for the Robotics team so that they can participate in the 1st competition. (Update: Since writing this article, the robotics club received a substantial grant from General Electric which will fund the entire season.)
Ryan is very passionate about all that he does, and he has set many goals for his future. "I am going to get a college degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering, and while in college [I plan to] have internships across the engineering fields to see were I would like to work.” Ryan will be able to use his knowledge and skills that he has gained from the STEM Academy to help him get a successful, fulfilling career. He commented on this saying, “STEM has prepared me for the fields and work place I want to go into. The classes have taught me to be a leader and how to motivate members of a team to most efficiently get the task done.”
The advice Ryan has to offer the new freshmen in STEM is that “life goes on” . He explained, "There is always something happening around people, every day. It is important to at least try to be aware of what is happening around [you]. If not [you] could get left behind and lose a special opportunity that [you] will never get back." Take heed freshmen, as these are wise words from someone who has 3 years of experience in the Academy. Ryan also added that freshman year can be tough, but if students stick it out, they will excel.
Ryan has also earned many awards while in the STEM academy, including, "Best Team Leader", "Most Dedicated", "Most Likely to Help Someone with a Difficult Concept", and "Best Quality of Work".
by: Kyle Hoselton
Summer is over and school has a started on a high note, especially for STEM senior Ryan Rodgers. Ryan has been a senior for less than a month and he has already won the STEM t-shirt contest. For the third year in a row, Ryan’s design will be worn throughout the STEM academy. This is just one of many clear indicators that Ryan will be doing big things in his final year in the STEM Academy at NHS.
During his years in STEM, Ryan has participated in the Fredericksburg rocket launch, the school of the future project, and the trebuchet contest. Ryan is involved in the robotics club, STEM council, academic decathlon, philosophy club, and the national honors society. This year he plans to create a working transonic rocket in Aerospace-2, and wants to raise the money needed for the Robotics team so that they can participate in the 1st competition. (Update: Since writing this article, the robotics club received a substantial grant from General Electric which will fund the entire season.)
Ryan is very passionate about all that he does, and he has set many goals for his future. "I am going to get a college degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering, and while in college [I plan to] have internships across the engineering fields to see were I would like to work.” Ryan will be able to use his knowledge and skills that he has gained from the STEM Academy to help him get a successful, fulfilling career. He commented on this saying, “STEM has prepared me for the fields and work place I want to go into. The classes have taught me to be a leader and how to motivate members of a team to most efficiently get the task done.”
The advice Ryan has to offer the new freshmen in STEM is that “life goes on” . He explained, "There is always something happening around people, every day. It is important to at least try to be aware of what is happening around [you]. If not [you] could get left behind and lose a special opportunity that [you] will never get back." Take heed freshmen, as these are wise words from someone who has 3 years of experience in the Academy. Ryan also added that freshman year can be tough, but if students stick it out, they will excel.
Ryan has also earned many awards while in the STEM academy, including, "Best Team Leader", "Most Dedicated", "Most Likely to Help Someone with a Difficult Concept", and "Best Quality of Work".
Spotlighting STEM Alumni: Dylan Martin
By: Ryan Yarborough The STEM Academy has produced many successful college students, as STEM teaches real-world experiences and other critical skills through PBL (Project-Based Learning). As 2013 Alumni Dylan Martin put it, “… [STEM] helped me have the ability to give a speech, perform a presentation… and have confidence in the work I’ve accomplished [because of the] critical thinking skills I received through PBL.” Dylan, or as his friends call him “Doc Martin”, currently attends the University of North Texas. He added, “…after graduating I was accepted into UNT. Then, after starting college, I rushed Alpha Tau Omega”. ATO is a fraternity that focuses on philanthropy and scholarship; they have a minimum GPA in order to join the fraternity. Dylan wanted to give some advice to current STEM students about following their dreams. “I would like to say just do whatever you love,” Dylan stated. “Find something that gets you up in the morning and sparks a passion. Pursue what makes you happy and don’t let anything stop you from achieving that goal.” |
Recent Projects and Events
Kick-starting the Year, By Grade-Level:
By: Joshua Pratt and Garrett Garcia
The 2014-2015 school year is off to a start, and the freshmen STEM students are already hard at work learning the basics of PBL. Sophomore students have come back for their second year, and are getting right into assignments and PBL projects. Juniors are going strong into their third year and are improving their 21st century skills, and the seniors are already perfecting their skills, as they prepare to achieve greatness in their lives after school.
To begin, the STEM freshmen have a huge learning curve to overcome. As if high school isn't a big enough adjustment, these students also have to learn Project-based learning. Luckily for them, nearly all of the upperclassmen STEM students enjoy helping and supporting these students throughout this challenging time, and are there to show them the ropes. However, the freshmen teachers do their best to ease students into the realities of all of the hard work the STEM academy requires, but they also have a lot to cover. The freshman STEM teachers are tough teachers with high expectations, who teach their students responsibility, self-accountability, and the true meaning of team work.
For instance, in their first engineering course, each STEM student is required to become OSHA certified by completing a 10-hour online course. Though this is a long and strenuous process, the students need to be OSHA certified in order to work safely in the labs, and they will graduate with their certification. As far as other classes are concerned, at the time of this interview STEM freshman student Daniel stated, “We haven’t started any projects yet, but we have been talking about group work and how things work." Soon enough, the class of 2019 will learn to balance multiple projects. The freshmen last year completed nearly 27 projects over the course of the year, and this class will do the same.
Next, the sophomore STEM students are already involved in multiple projects, taking on many different real-world roles. For instance, Sophomore Juane Ratliff confirmed, "We already started a project over history where we have to design and make a board game over civilizations and empires.” Additionally, the students are acting as beginning architectures by drawing the designs for a youth center in their Engineering class, while in their English class they are appealing for Tom Robinson's innocence, a fictional character from their summer reading novel "To Kill a Mockingbird", written by Harper Lee. Sophomore English teacher, Ms. Lloyd commented saying, "This sophomore class is full of personality, and I am enjoying working with them."
The junior class is working hard to reacquaint themselves with the STEM workload, while beginning to balance more non-STEM, traditional classes. Although they have less STEM classes, many of these students are beginning to challenge themselves with Advanced-placement courses, and as such will experience a learning curve, if in nothing else, their individual workload. Those juniors enrolled in REVIT, an elective class, have already had their hands full by preparing for and interviewing with well-known engineering companies like Textron (Bell Helicopter), and Sikorsky. REVIT students had to dress professionally and prepare a well-polished resume and cover page printed on resume paper. Those students not in REVIT are certainly in Chemistry where they are kicking off their first project wherein they have to pick a country to go to, 'travel' to each border of the country, and at the same time remain the most economical in their gas, food, and all other travel whether by plane, train, or horse back (if that is an option).
As the years go on for STEM seniors, they have less required STEM courses. As a result, the STEM seniors often flock to Mr. Brown or Mrs. Mitias' rooms, as Mr. Brown teaches the required "Practicum in STEM" course, and Mrs. Mitias teaches the optional "Aerospace II" course. During their Aerospace II course, students will be required to build rockets that they will launch in the Spring semester in Fredricksburg, Texas at the annual Rocket Launch.
The STEM academy is looking forward to a great 2014-2015 school year for all of their students and teachers.
By: Joshua Pratt and Garrett Garcia
The 2014-2015 school year is off to a start, and the freshmen STEM students are already hard at work learning the basics of PBL. Sophomore students have come back for their second year, and are getting right into assignments and PBL projects. Juniors are going strong into their third year and are improving their 21st century skills, and the seniors are already perfecting their skills, as they prepare to achieve greatness in their lives after school.
To begin, the STEM freshmen have a huge learning curve to overcome. As if high school isn't a big enough adjustment, these students also have to learn Project-based learning. Luckily for them, nearly all of the upperclassmen STEM students enjoy helping and supporting these students throughout this challenging time, and are there to show them the ropes. However, the freshmen teachers do their best to ease students into the realities of all of the hard work the STEM academy requires, but they also have a lot to cover. The freshman STEM teachers are tough teachers with high expectations, who teach their students responsibility, self-accountability, and the true meaning of team work.
For instance, in their first engineering course, each STEM student is required to become OSHA certified by completing a 10-hour online course. Though this is a long and strenuous process, the students need to be OSHA certified in order to work safely in the labs, and they will graduate with their certification. As far as other classes are concerned, at the time of this interview STEM freshman student Daniel stated, “We haven’t started any projects yet, but we have been talking about group work and how things work." Soon enough, the class of 2019 will learn to balance multiple projects. The freshmen last year completed nearly 27 projects over the course of the year, and this class will do the same.
Next, the sophomore STEM students are already involved in multiple projects, taking on many different real-world roles. For instance, Sophomore Juane Ratliff confirmed, "We already started a project over history where we have to design and make a board game over civilizations and empires.” Additionally, the students are acting as beginning architectures by drawing the designs for a youth center in their Engineering class, while in their English class they are appealing for Tom Robinson's innocence, a fictional character from their summer reading novel "To Kill a Mockingbird", written by Harper Lee. Sophomore English teacher, Ms. Lloyd commented saying, "This sophomore class is full of personality, and I am enjoying working with them."
The junior class is working hard to reacquaint themselves with the STEM workload, while beginning to balance more non-STEM, traditional classes. Although they have less STEM classes, many of these students are beginning to challenge themselves with Advanced-placement courses, and as such will experience a learning curve, if in nothing else, their individual workload. Those juniors enrolled in REVIT, an elective class, have already had their hands full by preparing for and interviewing with well-known engineering companies like Textron (Bell Helicopter), and Sikorsky. REVIT students had to dress professionally and prepare a well-polished resume and cover page printed on resume paper. Those students not in REVIT are certainly in Chemistry where they are kicking off their first project wherein they have to pick a country to go to, 'travel' to each border of the country, and at the same time remain the most economical in their gas, food, and all other travel whether by plane, train, or horse back (if that is an option).
As the years go on for STEM seniors, they have less required STEM courses. As a result, the STEM seniors often flock to Mr. Brown or Mrs. Mitias' rooms, as Mr. Brown teaches the required "Practicum in STEM" course, and Mrs. Mitias teaches the optional "Aerospace II" course. During their Aerospace II course, students will be required to build rockets that they will launch in the Spring semester in Fredricksburg, Texas at the annual Rocket Launch.
The STEM academy is looking forward to a great 2014-2015 school year for all of their students and teachers.
Commenting on Current Events
By: Thomas Speicher
By: Thomas Speicher
ISIS
has been in the news more often than not lately, and there have
been many people talking about this terrorist group. Since this is such a prevalent topic, I’ve been
researching them to figure out who they are and why they are doing such horrible
things.
It turns out that ISIS is a terrorist group that has been slowly taking over Syria and Iraq. ABC News said that ISIS was “born from an especially brutal al Qaeda faction.” If you don't remember, Al Qaeda is a military unit that was associated with Osama Bin Laden, and was responsible for the 9/11 attacks on the twin towers. Apparently, ISIS has also been earning $3 million a day from by stealing oil and human trafficking. They have taken over many oil fields in the middle east, and have been basically reverse price-gouging countries by pricing the oil so low that some countries are willing to turn a blind eye to the atrocities they have been committing. Speaking of which, ISIS is seemly on a genocide mission, to rid the world of Israeli Christians, and if history has taught us anything, it would be to not turn a blind eye to genocide. As author Elie Wiesel said, "Whenever and where ever humans are suffering, we must always take sides." But in today's political climate, it may not be as simple as choosing the obviously-right side. The United States decided long ago to take their troops out of Iraq, but now instead, they are deploying almost 300 soldiers to help train the Iraqi soldiers so that they can protect themselves and their people against ISIS, in addition to conducting air raids over known ISIS territories. Essentially, there will be two training camps located in northern Iraq and Baghdad. These American soldiers are also granted immunity, meaning they will not be placed in an act of war and that they are relatively safe from any danger. Here is where it gets complicated. Many Republicans believe that because Obama is pulling the troops out of Iraq he has responded too slowly to this crisis, and that he subsequently allowed ISIS to become a formidable adversary. However, the Democrats generally support Obama and believe that Obama’s decision to wait is "a function of the ability to supply drones to monitor and assess the situation". When it comes to American politics, I won't tell you with whom to agree, but whether you identify as a democrat or a republican, educate yourself about these atrocities and all world events! |
President Obama's Address to the Nation
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