Today's blog is really connected to Monday's post. But, I interrupted the queue after I heard about Inspire My Heart With Art Day. Sorry for the discontinuity.
I am going to date myself. Because when I consider the elite High School Science Fair Competition, Westinghouse is the moniker that comes to mind. Westinghouse conceived of the program in 1939 and brought it to fruition in 1942. By 1998, Andy Grove (A’H) arranged for Intel to the sponsor. (By then, Westinghouse was more aligned with TV broadcasting than high- or even low- tech.) And, so it remained until 6 years ago (and after Andy’s death), when Regeneron, the biotech firm, took over the sponsorship of the Science Talent Fair Search.
This search is the oldest and most prestigious science and mathematics competition in the USA. Yet, there are quirks to the program. This year, there were 1804 contestants from 46 states, of which 300 became semi-finalists. A semifinalist is provided a $ 2000 award. (To be honest, that’s probably less than they spent working on that project! So, we don’t do it for the money!)
Interestingly, almost ½ of all the semifinalists (38 of them) from New York trace their origin to Long Island. (That was my neck of the woods back when I participated.) Ten winners will be announced in just 43 days here in DC, with the top prize of $ 250K going to the “winner”. (Making semifinalist already means you are a winner, though.)
Why are so many from Long Island? It may just be because the schools there have decided to emphasize STEM. More importantly, the schools arrange for the students to perform some of their work at the world-class research facilities that exist on Long Island and in New York City. (Resources lacking in many other geographical areas around the US. Something the CHIPS Act is going to change, I might add.)
Mentors from within the school system and at these institutions also help propel these students to “make the grade” and participate at the national level. These are critical individuals, since the competition is a multi-year program, not a one-and-done kind of deal.
The above video doesn't always work. Here's a direct link: https://tv.newsday.com/watch/long-island/education/regeneron-science-semifinalist-syosset-brentwood-high-school-ex39861p
But, that’s not universal among the Long Island schools. For example, Brentwood (this, the largest school district on the Island, is comprised of 17000 students, of which 90% and economically disadvantaged.) This district has developed three semifinalists over the past two years- with all work being done in-house at the local level. (Admittedly, the school laboratory is pretty well equipped. They’ve glommed a scanning electron microscope from Hitachi- via its “Inspire the Next Program”, not a too shabby six figure capital item.)
Maybe we can inspire our local school districts to do the same. And, then, Thomas Jefferson won’t be our only elite STEM high school in the US.
I saw that six students at my high school (Bronx Science) were among the 300 Regeneron Talent Search scholars, so at least they will have that small cash reward. I looked at the list of the scholars from New York State – yes, many from Long Island but I also saw a good number from Westchester County. Meanwhile, my part of upstate – almost crickets and I am really not surprised. Also, I will always think of it as Westinghouse. Funny how we cling to old names years after they are no longer applicable.
Me, too, Alana!
Hi Roy. Way back in the day, we tried to get ACPS to request equipment that was being replaced at the Virginia universities and placed at ACHS. The cost would have been the transportation of the devices to the school. I think there was an electron microscope in the equipment we were discussing. The problem was how to get the microscope here considering its weight and size. But that is one place to look.
Eileen
I never knew that- and I don’t think that program still exists nowadays.