Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.--It was a night to focus on the future of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The Armed Forces Communication and Electronics Association (AFCEA), Aberdeen Chapter, held its second annual awards program May 9 to recognize local students and teachers who are excelling in STEM education.
AFCEA partners with local schools to help enhance the STEM educational experience for students and to prepare them as the next generation of a technical workforce for Aberdeen Proving Ground. The AFCEA Aberdeen Chapter STEM initiative for public schools is focused in four main areas: scholarships, tools, equipment and mentors.
Maj. Gen. Robert S. Ferrell, commanding general of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command, served as the keynote speaker of the event and helped to recognize the achievements of two local science teacher and four high school seniors. Ferrell said, "AFCEA is playing a critical role in advocating STEM initiatives."
The chapter provided science teacher toolkit grants of $1,000 to Mr. Gregg Stickler, science teacher at Rising Sun High School, and Ms. Anne Cox, science teacher at C Milton Wright High School. Stickler said, "I have worked hard to incorporate current technology and current scientific research into each of the courses that I teach." He used the grant to rebuild cabinets and install computer-based lab stations in four of science classrooms. Stickler explained that the stations use a variety of sensors to record, graph and analyze lab measurements. The grant received from AFCEA was used to acquire a document camera and a set of sensor interfaces. The document camera is being used by biology teachers to view and present both large and microscopic samples via the classroom presentation systems. The interfaces are being used in a biology classroom where the computer based lab stations were installed.
Cox said, "Teaching chemistry is my passion and I enjoy both seeing students get excited about a cool chemical reaction and helping students master challenging material." She said the grant received from AFCEA was used in part for two other teachers and her to attend a full day workshop on Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning.
Ferrell thanked the teacher for their efforts to improve science education. "No one becomes an educator for fame. You do it for the love of education and a brighter future," he emphasized.
The AFCEA Chapter also presented $1,000 college scholarships to four students. John Grant Caspero, a senior at C. Milton Wright High School, plans to attend N.C. State University where he will major in electrical engineering. Hope Kerr, another senior at C. Milton Wright High School plans to attend Boston University and earn a degree in mathematics and statistics. Sara McDermott is a senior who is enrolled in Cecil County's STEM program and will be part of the first graduating class at Rising Sun High School to complete this curriculum. She plans to attend the University of Maryland, College Park, and study mechanical engineering. Nicole Racine is a senior at North Harford High School and plans to study mechanical engineering at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.
After meeting the students, Ferrell described them as "high achieving" and said he had great expectations for their future success.
"It's not easy to succeed in STEM either as a teacher or a student. But, success in STEM is one of the country's greatest needs," he said.
Ferrell also said there is no better place to look at the needs for and impacts of science and technology than at Aberdeen Proving Ground. "Right in our own backyard we have the best of America, our brightest minds working on technology and engineering challenges that save the lives of our Soldiers."
In closing, Ferrell explained that Aberdeen Proving Ground has a rich tradition of partnerships with industry and professional associations but that "there is no better example of that partnership than this AFCEA event tonight. We are working together to meet the needs of the nation."
AFCEA is a non-profit membership association serving the military, government,
industry and academia as an ethical forum for advancing professional knowledge in the fields of communications, information technology, intelligence, and global security. The Aberdeen Chapter is one of 145 chapters worldwide.
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