Mt. Carmel School holds 2016 STEM Fair

Winners of Mount Carmel School’s 2016 Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Fair pose for a group photo.
(Contributed Photo)

“Can cereal lovers get the recommended amount of iron?” “Are your tires tired?” “What’s growing on?” These were just some of the questions posed by young scientists at Mount Carmel School’s 2016 Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Fair.

Held in the high school hallway from Feb. 22 to 26, the fair featured over 100 entries from students in grades 1 through 12. Entries were divided by grade level into four levels. Level 1 included 1st through 3rd grade students; Level 2 included 4th through 6th grade students; Level 3 included 7th and 8th grade students; and Level 4 included high school students. Entries were also classified into seven categories: Life Science, Health Science, Earth Science, Physical Science, Social/Behavioral Science, Mathematics and Statistics, and Technology. Professionals from the public and private sector served as judges for each level in the science fair.

Claus Bier from the Northern Marianas College-Cooperative Research Extension and Education Service has judged the school’s science fair for many years. According to him, this year’s science fair stands out. As he put it, “This year, I was absolutely impressed with the quality of students’ research. I had the pleasure to meet a good number of very knowledgeable future micro biologists, mathematicians, physicists, engineers in all fields, psychologists, sociologists—to name just a few.” He added, “Thank you again, and ‘great job!’ to everyone.”

The following students placed in the MCS Science Fair:

Level 1:
(1st-3rd Grades)
1st Place: Hitomi Sasamoto “H2O Science”
2nd Place: Emmanuel Pontiveros “Lung Capacity”
3rd Place: Jalen Nicholas “Temperature & Rebound of a Golf Ball”

Level 2:
(4th & 5th Grades)
1st Place: Kyla Monique Cabrera “Can cereal lovers get the recommended amount of iron?”
2nd Place: Elisha Joy Lacap “How greasy are your chips?”
3rd Place: Brent Ortizo “Rock and Roll”

Level 3: (6th-8th Grades)
1st Place: Sydney Richter “Triangles vs. Squares”
2nd Place: Penelope Sablan “Stain Removal”
3rd Place: Jedric Villar “An Earth Friendly Way to Get Styrofoam Away”

Level 4:
(9th-12th Grades)
1st Place: Matt Jason Moran “Energy and Gas”
2nd Place: Zeno Deleon Guerrero & Jaqueline Doctor “Are your tires tired?”
3rd Place: Erica Cunanan & Ydelle Acosta “What’s growing on?”

These students will now move on to compete in the CNMI-wide STEM Fair.

In addition to recognizing the winners of the STEM Fair, the school also acknowledged the contributions of the judges: Bruce Bateman from the Marianas Visitors Authority; 2002 AlumKnight, engineer James Benavente; Mitch Aaron, 2005 AlumKnight, Crystal Cabrera, and Frank Villagomez, from the Department of Public Works; David Benavente from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife; Claus Bier, Britta Baechler, and Rose Castro from NMC CREES; Jerry Pangelinan from NMC’s Office of Admissions and Records; 2007 AlumKnight, Mary Tenorio, from Saipan Stevedore Company, Inc.; and 2010 AlumKnight, Cameron Nicholas, from the CNMI House of Representatives.

Many leaders in government, industry, and education have underscored the importance of STEM education. According to a recent report from the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee, “The need for workers with STEM skills is heightened in today’s global economy. Technological innovation improves the competitive position of U.S. industries, drives export growth, and supports high-quality jobs. Additionally, demand for STEM-capable workers has increased even in traditionally non-STEM fields due to the diffusion of technology across industries and occupations. Technological progress can improve workers’ quality of life by improving working conditions and increasing wages.” The report added, “However, for workers to benefit from the economic gains generated by innovation, they must have the knowledge and skills needed to work effectively in jobs requiring STEM competencies. Improving access to quality STEM education will strengthen the caliber of the U.S. workforce, drive economic growth, and keep the U.S. competitive.” (PR)