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Stem Saga

April 2017

Model UN

What is model UN? Model United Nations, also known as

Model UN or MUN, is an extra-curricular activity in which students typically role play delegates to the United Nations and simulate UN committees. STEM’s very own Model UN Club recently went to a conference known as AMUN hosted by the magnet school Bergen County Academies. STEM’s club consists of all juniors: Mahagony Pullen, Amaka Nwafor, Fatime Sylla, Vanessa Ayre, Chantel Sealy, Diana Cassie, Shamor Williams, Salomine Ekambi, and Aminata Dembele.

The club members competed in numerous committees

such as DISEC (Disarmament and International Security Committee), CRISIS, and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Two delegates brought home awards for their work as the country of Syria in the DISEC committee: Vanessa Ayre and Mahagony Pullin.

“This conference was one of the most interesting and well planned out of all that I've been to,” said Diana Cassie. AMUN was a two day conference. Day one delegates were greeted with a welcoming ceremony. Thereafter, they were led to their appointed conference rooms and the fun began. Lunch was served. After about two hours, debating resumed and snacks were served before the day was wrapped up. Day 2 followed the same schedule minus the opening ceremony, of course, and a closing/awards ceremony was added at the end.

AMUN was an amazing experience for all who attended, even the clubs advisor, Mr.Refinski. I implore all students who haven't heard of the club to ask questions and to potentially join.

~Mahagony Pullin

STEM’s Model UN Team

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EO STEM Academy HS Newspaper

An Interview With Vice Principal, Mr. Sant oro

These Seniors already have made their choices:

Rosemary Alaeto…New Jersey Institute of Technology

Cassandra Nerette…Kean University

Ryan Alonso Smith…Rutgers University, Newark

Jada White…Rutgers University, Newark

Luce Daphney Paul…Rutgers University, New Brunswick

Isiah Moore…Columbia College, Chicago

Ciara Chanel Allen…Montclair State University

Vania Haynes…Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY

Taisha Blanc…Rutgers University, Newark

Renieal A. Campbell…Monmouth University, Long Branch, NJ

Cory Poole Jr….Florida State University

Giovanni Shine…Hudson Valley Community College, NY

Khadirah Moore…Bloomfield College

Drayanna Lee…New Jersey City University

N’Daiyah Gray-House…Delaware State University

Carl-Lou Jean…Montclair State University

Sancara Delouis…St. Peter’s University

Ashlee Davis…Delaware State University

Joseph Bell…Montclair State University

Quanice Ellersbee…Caldwell University

Gabrielle Aba…New Jersey City University

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National Honor Society Induction 2017

On March 23, 2017 STEM’s National

Honor Society held its annual

induction ceremony. Present were

Principal, Thelma Ramsey, Vice

Principals, Katerina Richardson & Paul

Santoro, Advisor- Mrs. Eileen Lesko,

faculty, family, & friends. Taisha Blanc

welcomed all while Ciara Allen spoke

about Scholarship, Kayla Cruz about

Service, Fanta Fofana about Leadership,

and Isaiah Moore about Character.

This year’s National Honor Society’s

new inductees are:

Vanessa Ayree, Frantzesca Baron,

Javon Brown, Diana Cassie,

Salomine Ekambi, Immyouri Etienne,

D’Asia Faison, Atiyah Hack-Russell,

Janice Harris, Samantha Henry,

Brianna Hooper, Candice Jackson,

Akeem Lindo, Alnaysia Long,

Jamisha Montague, Nwamaka Nwafor,

Brandon Powell-Grant, Avery Phil,

Chantel Sealy, Fatime Sylla,

Ashma Thomas.

Congratulations to the new inductees!

…..and the list continues….

Adrian Yard…Phoenix University, Arizona

Georginia Louis…Albright College

Maya-Hali Theodore…Nova Southeastern University

Nicole Taylor…Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Collin Robinson…Rutgers University

Janishka Saintil…William Patterson University

Ahmad Napier…Bloomfield College

Charleigh Peterson…William Patterson University

Anaya Brown…New Jersey City University

Imani Foreman…St. John’sUniversity

Lorenz Mitchell…Hampton University

Ibny Mitchell…New Jersey City University

Stay tuned for more senior decisions.

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STEM Academy Garden Club is Seeking Support to

Win a Kind Grant

Stem Academy Garden Club is participating in KIND Causes - a program

from The KIND Foundation that supports ideas aimed at making the world a

little kinder. Each month, The KIND Foundation grants $10,000 to people

spreading kindness to those in need. The entry that receives the most votes

will unlock the funding. Before the end of April, please consider voting

https://www.kindsnacks.com/foundation/causes/cause/stem-stems/ Each vote will bring us one step closer to receiving the grant. By voting you’re committing to doing a “kind act” or good deed of your

own. The thought here is that small acts make a BIG impact, and we can all

benefit from paying it forward.

~Ms. Bonnie Taylor, Advisor

T

“13” This year the Bibliophiles, Stem’s Book Club, read the novel Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. It is a young adult novel that explores the very serious epidemic facing teens today-teen suicide. In addition to the club’s members, 75 students at STEM have borrowed the book. It is now available as a film adaptation on Netflix. On Friday, April 28st an open discussion about the book will take place in Room 130 with Advisor, Ms. C. Vick. All are welcome. The Bibliophiles are always accepting new members.

CLUB UPDATES…

Robotics Club

Build season is over and the STEM Robotics Team has

completed their robot, Phineas Cogg within the 6 weeks allotted.

Over forty teams were present at the FRC Robotics Competition at

Mount Olive High school on March 10-12. The theme was “Steam

Works”. Team 5310 Eagles Apex won the Imagery Award with their

unique Steampunk design on their uniforms and costumes, as well as

their flag and pit set up.

Team 5310 won the Imagery Award once more at the

Competition on March 17-19 at BridgeWater Raritan. Also, Trevon

Cordis and Frantzesca Baron were nominated to become Dean’s List

Semifinalists by their mentor, Barbara Froelich. Trevon Cordis

officially became a Semifinalist (there were only two that made it at

that particular competition!) and will be moving on to compete with

nineteen others in St. Louis to earn a spot as a finalist. Let’s wish the

STEM Robotics team luck on their last competition that's going to be

held in June!

Model UN

The STEM Model United Nations went to a conference on

March 25th and 26th at Seton Hall University. The members did well

with their individually committees and their top-quality intelligence.

Student Council Student Council has rescheduled the fourth annual talent show for

April 28th. It’s not too late for you to join! Practices are Tuesdays,

Wednesdays, and Thursdays in the auditorium. Also, Student Council

is in need of more representatives. If you would like to become one,

see Mrs. Abdul Majeed in room 202.

Yearbook

Yearbook Club begins printing in two months and counting down!

In the meantime, the Yearbook staff is looking for new members! If

you would like to join, meetings are held at seventh period lunch in

Mr. Marino’s room.

Newspaper

Stem Saga is always welcoming new staff members. Please see

either Mrs. E. Vick in room 126, editor-in-chief, senior- Christal

Hammond, or editor / junior- Ashma Thomas for information.

College Bound Money Boot Camp Rowan University May 13, 2017 8:30- 3:30 Savitz Hall 201 Mullica Hill Road Glassboro, NJ 08028 Register by May 6

th

Email:OPFC@rowan.edu

Continental breakfast & boxed lunch

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P.A.R.C.C. is here!

The Staff of STEM SAGA wishes

all students good luck.

After all, you are STEM

SCHOLARS!!!

Page 5

Dishing Diaries

(A Freshman’s Dish)

Spring break’s right around the corner

and I can almost feel myself blossoming

into someone new to put things in the

most corny way possible. Lately things

have been slow and fast at the same time.

The reasons for these thoughts come from

meaningless things that affect my life

annually, but every time it comes around

it’s almost like it’s the first time again. If

you haven’t figured out what I’m referring

to- it’s PARCC! Testing in general can be

a pain no matter how great of a student

you seem to think you are. It doesn’t

compare to the festering anxiety that

comes in anticipation of a test. I wish I

could have that amount of anticipation

about waking up at the crack of dawn to

get to a place that’s only filled me with

immense fear and isolation.

Sure you may say “Lighten up, Sam. You

can’t be serious...right?” With that I beg to

differ. I mean this with the most sincerity

that I can muster up when I say that my

body physically aches when it even

remotely thinks about hoework, or tarea

for you Spanish speakers out there. This

brings me to my next topic: Spanish. I’m

sure my Spanish teacher knows intimately

my struggles in this area.

As our school year shortens and we say

adios to the teachers that we have now

(and hope and pray that we don’t have

them again) I ask you to try to get to know

your teachers. Just because they are the

ones who teach you and enforce discipline

doesn’t make them the bad guys. To be

blunt, we all just have to accept that, no

matter what age you are, you deserve to be

treated as an equal. In order to gain that

equality, it first starts with you accepting

that this person is your teacher and that

they are here to bestow knowledge that

you may or may not want. But the fact of

the matter is, they come here every day to

teach us and we come here every day

to make sure we achieve. So everyone

should just give each other a break

sometime. ~Samantha Augustin

Sitting down with

Juniella Jack

An interview by Tia Wallace

“Through the eyes of a JUNIOR”

Junior year... At some point we all have to cross that

pivotal moment in our high school career. It’s the bridge that

transformers you from a carefree child to a stress-filled ball of

anxiety. It’s also the time that everyone starts to drill you with

the never ending questions… “What are plans for college?”

“Where you gonna go?” “What’s your major gonna be?” But,

what is it really like to walk across that glorified bridge? I asked

one of our fellow juniors, Juniella Jack, some of these

questions and more.

Juniella describes her junior year as stressful & exciting

but nerve racking- harder than the last and LONG. But this year

has also encouraged her to develop better study habits and

healthy relationships as is needed when you’re taking a

schedule of AP coupled with honors classes (especially with

one being Refiniski’s AP History) and extra-curriculars, such

as Cover- to- Cover, Step team, and Cheerleading.

It does not end there. Along with keeping up your grades

because...“This is the year colleges look at”, you also have to

take the time to look at every college out there and see what is

best for you and, most importantly, make the most of your

summers. Ms. Jackhas been looking at the Cornell University

Summer Program and volunteering at Rutgers University

Hospital for her summer. Although she may not know as yet

which schools she will be applying to in the upcoming fall, when

asked what she looks for in a school she replied, “A good

medical program, an interactive community, medium size, close

to a city but not in the city, and most importantly...DIVERSITY.”

I want to get away from the norm”.

Junior year brings its own unique challenges and changes; and

Juniella has made the most of those experiences. It’s fun to

commemorate these milestones but in the midst of the fun

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Open House Info

from Guidance

Page 6

A MESSAGE FROM SWARTHMORE COLLEGE

Swarthmore College’s

Junior Visit Day

Saturday, May 13 at 9:00 AM.

Although we plan to share Swarthmore with families (and we hope they

fall in love with us), our intention is not to sell anyone on our school.

Instead, we walk students and their families through the general college

admissions and financial aid processes. We offer special programming

– including workshops, Q&A with our Director of Admissions, and even

private meetings with experienced financial aid professionals – to

ensure attendees get their questions answered. Plus, we offer tours of

campus and sessions on athletics and engineering.

We encourage STEM students to sign up. We especially look forward to

welcoming students who are the first in their families to attend college,

or come from communities underrepresented on our campus.

Registration for our program often fills quickly, so we encourage

students to sign up soon. Of course we also welcome your school to

visit us at another time, if you have not already been to campus. You

can learn more about our group visitation opportunities online – but

don’t hesitate to be in touch if you have questions.

If you have any further questions about our Junior Visit Day program,

please email them at jvd@swarthmore.edu

CHECK OUT WILLIAM

PATERSON

UNIVERSITY!

Students are invited to explore

William Paterson University on

Sunday, April 30 during their

Open House.

Check-in begins at 9:15 a.m. with

academic sessions beginning at

10:00 a.m. sharp. All attendees

will have their $50 application

fee* waived! Reservations are

required; therefore, please

visit wpunj.edu/openhouse.

• Tour their beautiful 370-acre

campus including residence

halls

• Speak to current students

• Discuss the admissions process

• Meet professors and discover

over 250 academic programs

• Attend a financial aid session

• Learn about their University

Honors College

*When applying for admission:

The University Application does

not require an application fee to

submit. If using the Common

Application, students must

select the “Attended WP Open

House” fee waiver type in WP’s

General Questions so that

students may submit the

application without paying the

fee. Students must not

pay the application fee after

submitting the application; once

paid, the $50 application fee is

non-refundable, non-

transferable. WPU will waive

the fee within 1-2 weeks after

the event.

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Seton Hall's Open House

April 23, 2017!

Registration begins at 9:00 a.m.

Richie Regan Athletic and Recreation Center