County Schools Celebrate STEM Excellence

Two students and a math teacher were among those recently honored for their accomplishments.

The following information was submitted to Patch by Lauren Grey, an intern in the Magnet Office of Advanced Studies and Programs for Anne Arundel County Public Schools.

Twenty-eight graduating seniors from across the county were recognized for their achievement in the subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math at the STEM Awards Ceremony on May 23. Each public high school in Anne Arundel County (AACPS) nominated two students to be celebrated for their exceptional interest and passion in classes and activities related to STEM through their high school careers. This event also allowed each first-place winner to thank one educator as a STEM Teacher Fellow who helped discover and foster his or her passion for learning. (A complete list of first- and second-place finishers from each school, as well as the STEM teacher Fellows, is included at the end of this article).

This event not only celebrated the students who received this honor, but also the many reasons that these students were drawn to the STEM fields in the first place. Some, such as second-place finishers Lukas Craig (Meade High School) and Zachary Boyles (Old Mill High School) were drawn to STEM because of their love for architecture and design. For them, math and physics go hand-in-hand when sketching out a new plan for a building or car and STEM offered them a place to apply what they love.

Others, such as first-place winners Katie Garret (Center of Applied Technology – South) and Blake Ebert (Broadneck High School) saw the knowledge and skills they learned in their math and science courses as a path to enter the medical field. Garret plans to become an orthodontist while Ebert hopes to become a pediatric oncologist. Still more students fell in love with STEM because of their involvement on robotics teams, their interest in computer software design, and their passion for the environment.

The Teacher Fellows recognized at this event were just as diverse as the reasons their students became interested in STEM. Many first-place winners recognized the teacher who had first introduced them to the subject that has now become a passion. One such student was Mina Nolan (CAT-North, first-place winner) who thanked Jerry Kepich, the Diesel Technology teacher at CAT North. Mina told Mr. Kepich, “Everything that you’ve taught I find useful and look forward to doing for the rest of my life.” Mina plans to pursue a career in Diesel Technology, first at the University of Northwestern/Ohio and then in the Coast Guard.

Other students took this opportunity to recognize teachers outside of their discipline. Kristen Loyd (first-place winner from Glen Burnie High School), whose passion lies in math, thanked her dance teacher, Dianne Rosso, for being “no ordinary person and most special teacher” and “for always believing in me.”

This year’s ceremony also honored eight additional AACPS students who recently received regional, national and international recognition and honors.

• Jon Car (), who was accepted to Meyerhof Scholars Program at University of Maryland Baltimore County.
• Stefanie Biondi, Kendall Crawford, and Gina Lee (South River High School), who were all Maryland winners of Siemens 2012 “We Can Change the World” competition.
• Mark Fiorina (), who was recognized as National Wood Bridge Challenge Champion.
• Victoria Preston (South River High School), who won the Chesapeake Regional Technology Council Future Innovator award.
• Trevor Queen (), who was awarded the Gates Millennium Scholarship.
• Jack Andraka (), who was the grand prize winner of the 2012 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

Throughout the night, the overwhelming feelings from the students were gratitude and promise: gratitude to the teachers, family, and faculty who helped these students follow their passions and promise of greatness in the years to come.

2012 STEM Students of Excellence

First Place
Michael Birckelbaw—Annapolis High School
Max Conant—Arundel High School
Blake Ebert—Broadneck High School
Mina Nolan—Center of Applied Technology North
Katie Garrett—Center of Applied Technology South
Molly Kabis—Chesapeake High School
Kristen Loyd—Glen Burnie High School
Mattie Kobus—Meade High School
Zachary Waters—North County High School
Brandon Quade—Northeast High School
Calvin Glover—Old Mill High School
William Zito—Severna Park High School
Victoria Preston—South River High School
Kathleen Metz—Southern High School

Second Place
Geoffrey Manyin—Annapolis High School
Brienna Ossman—Arundel High School
Caroline Plott—Broadneck High School
Andrew Davis—Center of Applied Technology North
Alison Mathews—Center of Applied Technology South
Samuel Phipps—Chesapeake High School
Matthew Scott—Glen Burnie High School
Lukas Craig—Meade High School
Cody Oltman—North County High School
Amber Harris—Northeast High School
Zachary Boyles—Old Mill High School
Nathan Roe—Severna Park High School
Stefanie Biondi—South River High School
Stephanie Starnes—Southern High School

STEM Teacher Fellows
Dr. Carrie Graff—Science Teacher, Annapolis High School
Shawn Templin—Physics Teacher, Arundel High School
Christopher Shelby—Math Teacher, Broadneck High School
Jerry Kepich—Diesel Technology Teacher, Center of Applied Technology North
Roxanne Hubbard—Dental Assisting Teacher, Center of Applied Technology South
Nichole Werre—Science Teacher, Chesapeake Bay Middle School
Dianne Rosso—Dance Teacher, Glen Burnie High School
Andrew Nagel—Science Teacher, Meade High School
Reed Cooper—Science Teacher, North County High School
Carolyn Brunnett—Technology Education Teacher, Northeast High School
Dr. Eric Hehl—Science Teacher, Old Mill High School
Barry Hopkins—Physics Teacher, Severna Park High School
Ryan Sackett—Technology Education Teacher, South River High School
Rachael Morrison—Science Teacher, Southern High School