STEM Accomplishments
During the 2012-2013 year, Phillip O Berry Academy amplified its efforts and tightened its commitment to S.T.E.M based opportunities for our students. The following items summarize the products and successes accrued as result of these efforts:
a) Product: STEM Team Assembled!
- Successes: Development of STEM Credit (required project that promoted relationships between course subject and STEM fields) for all students at Phillip O Berry in each of their courses and a teacher led training in STEM education across the curriculum.
b) Product: 1st Annual STEM Night for the local community!
- Successes: The outreach effort exposed over 500 visitors to Phillip O Berry’s programs, students and course STEM efforts through hands on activities and presentations.
c.) Product: Parents and Chemistry Quarterly Event! (parents to perform chemistry in the classroom)
- Successes: Parents attended session with their children and reinvested their commitment to growing in STEM.
d) Product: STEM Science Fair!
- Successes: Over 40 students presented their research products in chemistry based fields to the POB community, parents, and instructors to compete for prizes and nominations for advanced competitions.
e) Product: Establishment of CMS’s only student Science Research Team!
- Successes: Regional Science Fair: 2 of 2 ISEF (International Science & Engineering Fair) Advancements, 3 state advancements, 1 Stockholm Junior Prize Award National Nomination, 1 Metric System Award, and 1 US Navy Award
- State Science Fair: Participation
- North Carolina Academy of Sciences: 2nd and 3rd place- Environmental Science, 3rd place-Biological Science and 2 of 2 advancements to the National Biogenius Awards.
- Junior Science and Humanities Symposium: 4th Place in Poster Competition
- Davidson College: 1 Appointment to Summer Paid Research Internship in Synthetic Biology
- National Biogenius Awards: All expense paid trip to compete and participate amongst 34 selected US projects focused on Biotechnology.
- ISEF Competition: Andrew Hopkins 3rd place finish.
f) Product: Establishment of CMS’s only SMART Team
- Successes: Student team presented their research products at the Annual Experimental Biology Conference for scientists amongst graduate student research projects and was mentored from a bioengineering professional at the Milwaukee School of Engineering. The team won the “Best Knowledge of Molecular Model” award.
g) Product: Establishment of CMS’s only NABT BioClub!
- Successes: Students conducted college level research during weekly sessions and established the only chapter in Mecklenburg County.
h) Product: Chemistry on Wheels Community Outreach Project!
- Successes: Students at Morehead STEM Academy were exposed to experiments in chemistry at the hands of AP Chemistry students of Phillip O Berry Academy for a day.
i) Product: Pharmacology and Neuroscience Camp!
- Successes: Up to 180 POB students gain experience in research in the fields of Biochemistry, Neuroscience Research and Bioengineering during 3 weeklong Camp sessions and a 3 week intense research experience.
j) Product: Robotics Team Established!
- Successes: Gained sponsorship through 6 local businesses and competed at the regional First Robotics Competition in Raleigh, NC where they secured 32nd position out of 60 teams. They received the judge’s award for “Determination”.
- Successes: 40 CMS (middle and high school) and private school teachers were trained in biotechnological practices to improve content and practices in their classrooms. (Supported by Princeton University)
- Successes: Eight students and two teachers facilitated the construction of an electric vehicle in partnership with the Discovery Place museum as an interactive display for the Democratic National Convention attendees.
- Successes: POB’s STEM team attended the NSTA conference where they participated in PD and presented to other educators to disseminate favorable practices here at POB
- Successes: Two research products will be displayed at Cornell University this summer to demonstrate excellence in student research to various cohorts of instructors who attend their summer PD institutes.