During the week of February 23 through February 27, Kent Place Middle and Upper Schools celebrated STEM week. The students participated in hands-on activities and listened to special guest speakers in honor of science, technology, engineering and math.
Students participated in activities such as making two-minute DIY stylus pens, gum drop domes and egg drop mechanisms. Speakers included Pope John XXIII Regional High School’s robotics team; Kent Place alumna Kristen Cotter ’13, a USC sophomore majoring in aerospace engineering; Elenita Silverstein, software engineer and an Executive Director at JP Morgan Chase and Adele Glaser, System Sales Engineer at Trane, Heating and Air Conditioning Services & Systems.
Kent Place senior Caroline Schiavo, president of the Kent Place Technology Advisory Council, created the concept of STEM Week. Schiavo said the purpose of STEM week is to increase STEM awareness, educate about the importance of technology and engineering in our everyday lives and empower women to be technology makers and engineers by pursuing their passions.
“STEM is a movement that allows students to be creative, innovative and competitive in the 21st century,” stated Schiavo. “This week of fun and intellectual insight allowed Kent Place students to explore talents and pursue passions that they may have never realized existed.”
Schiavo credits Technology Advisory Council advisor Ms. Judy Bianco, Technology Advisory vice president and Kent Place junior Gersie Gonsalves-Domond and the newly created STEM Task Force for making the week a success. The Council hopes STEM Week will be an annual event.
