Teens pursue passion for STEM this summer thanks to unique scholarship programs
The Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children (SFIC) recently gave six teenagers with an affinity for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) the summer vacation of their dreams by providing them with scholarships to attend the Advanced Space Academy at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala. Additionally, for the first time ever, SFIC sent a separate group of six teens to the Environmental Education Program at the Pine Mountain Settlement School in Bledsoe, Ky.
The 12 scholarship recipients — who are all entering their high school sophomore and junior years at Archdiocese of Newark Catholic schools — were chosen for their programs after submitting their grades, a teacher recommendation, and an essay describing why they would benefit from attending their desired camp. They also had to write a second essay explaining how math and science (for Space Academy applicants) or biology, chemistry, geology, and environmental science (for Pine Mountain applicants) spark their creativity. The full list of recipients is below:
Advanced Space Academy Scholarship Recipients
-Alessandra Boncaldo, junior, Academy of the Holy Angels in Demarest
-Lucas Miranda, junior, Seton Hall Prep in West Orange
-Sophia Sanchez, junior, Hudson Catholic High School in Jersey City
-Owen Parillo, junior, Hudson Catholic High School in Jersey City
-Brian Sylva, junior, Hudson Catholic High School in Jersey City
-Henil Patel, junior, Hudson Catholic High School in Jersey City
Pine Mountain Settlement School Scholarship Recipients
-Malan Young, sophomore, Union Catholic High School in Scotch Plains
-Ava Braddock, sophomore, Mother Seton Regional High School in Clark
-Zarabeth Campanella, sophomore, Mother Seton Regional High School in Clark
-Eva Santelli, sophomore, Academy of the Holy Angels in Demarest
-Olivia Lewis, sophomore, Saint Dominic Academy in Jersey City
-Ijlal Imran, sophomore, Hudson Catholic High School in Jersey City
Those who attended the Space Academy enjoyed one week of high-level educational and teambuilding activities, which included constructing a rocket, flying jet aircraft simulators, and completing an extended-duration Mars mission simulation. They also got to experience a moonwalk using the 1/6th gravity chair and a spacecraft tumble in the multi-axis trainer. Meanwhile, the teenagers in the Environmental Education Program studied the ecology of Kentucky’s Pine Mountain and the James E. Bickford State Nature Preserve. That included examining stream activity, observing wildlife, and going on a night hike.
“These camps are fun things to do, but they’re also very educational,” said Jasmin Roman, SFIC’s director of scholarship programs. “They learn a lot about STEM, and they also learn a lot about teamwork because they have to work with people from around the world. We’ve seen kids come back like different people because they’re much more confident. So, we love being able to provide this opportunity — it’s an experience of a lifetime.”
SFIC’s Space Academy scholarships are funded entirely by donors Mark and Kathy Walchak, whose generosity has sent more than 150 teenagers to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center since 1996. Many of these teens went on to pursue careers in STEM fields, including two who joined NASA’s Mars Exploration Program. The Pine Mountain scholarships were paid for by multiple foundations interested in promoting environmental science education. After this successful first summer, SFIC plans to send more students to Kentucky next year.
For more information on the Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children, visit www.sficnj.org.
Photos courtesy of the Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children
Featured image: Lucas Miranda oversees a simulated trek to Mars from mission control while attending the Advanced Space Academy at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala. (Photo courtesy of the Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children)
