Secaucus Teen Teaches Young Girls And Boys STEM At Town Library

SECAUCUS, NJ — There is a wonderful program taking place at the Secaucus Library this March, April and May where a local teenage girl is teaching young girls — and boys! — engineering and science.

The teenage girl hosting the class is Sophia Benavente-Sayani, a 17-year-old junior at High Tech High School, the tech school by Laurel Hill Park. She lives here in Secaucus.

Sophia has always been very strongly interested in science, math and engineering. This past fall, she was selected by the National Academy of Engineering in Washington D.C. to be an "Engineer Girl Ambassador."

She started an after-school program that promotes STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) lessons to young girls. Sophia was given a $250 grant from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine to help her launch her classes at the Secaucus Library.

This winter, the town library put out a sign asking for young girls to sign up, but the program was so popular that it is now open to Secaucus boys, too! Sophia has 14 children in her class and they meet once a week at the library after school. Inside the Panasonic Room, the kids learn engineering, basic mechanical design and do practical applications of math, physics and design. The girls will also learn coding and do environmental science and recycling projects.

"We had no idea when we put the sign-up list that it would be so popular," said Sophia's mom, Scarlet Benavente-Sayani. "We of course allowed boys in when their parents said they want to sign up, too."

The after-school classes are entirely free to Secaucus children and is open to 4th, 5th and 6th graders. The program was so popular that Sophia will launch another session this summer; parents, keep an eye out for the sign-up sheet.

Sophia said she is trying to be the role model she never had for young girls in science, math and technology.

"I want to be a source of inspiration for girls to enter these fields," said Sophia. "I want to teach girls how to win first place at science fairs and pursue math, science and engineering when they grow up."

Sophia herself has won several blue ribbons for her science projects. A project she did in middle school took home the blue ribbon, when she tested the water quality in the Hackensack River and compared it to other nearby lakes, streams and even plain old Secaucus tap water. Her most recent science fair project? Botanical alternatives to antibiotics.

So what's her advice on how win first place in science fairs?

“It's really just like Miss Frizzle said in 'The Magic School Bus:' Take chances, make mistakes and get messy!" said Sophia. "Find a topic you are passionate about and then test your theory. Don't be afraid to take chances, make mistakes and get your hands dirty. And don't memorize facts from flash cards for the science fair! Know your topic inside and out and be able to spend 10 minutes comfortably and passionately talking about your topic. And be able to take questions. So pick a topic — any topic! — in science that excites you!"

Sophia said she first fell in love with computer science and coding, but now is more interested in environmental science, and that's what she hopes to study in college.

In May, Sophia will attend the National Academy of Engineering’s Annual Convention in California, where she will speak and learn more about how to teach science, technology, engineering and math to younger children.

Sophia will represent Hudson County, and the only student from Secaucus, to be selected into this rigorous program as a NJ Governor's STEM Scholar 2022: Sophia Benavente-Sayani (govstemscholars.com) Here is more about how Sophia was chosen to be an Engineer Girl Ambassador: https://www.engineergirl.org/1...

If you want to enroll your son or daughter for the summer session, stop by the Secaucus Library and ask a librarian for more info.

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