West Orange Student Shows Off Math, Science Skills At Carnegie Mellon

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of the West Orange Public School District. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

West Orange High School senior Trigal Rosario Taveras attended the Summer Academy for Math and Science Program (SAMS) at Carnegie Mellon University, held June 22 – Aug. 3. The prestigious program has a 6.875 percent acceptance rate, clearly showing its high degree of selectivity. The six-week residential program selects a diverse range of students from different backgrounds, especially those underrepresented in the science and engineering fields.

Trigal and her family emigrated from the Dominican Republic when she was in Kindergarten. She repeated Kindergarten and was part of the ELL program until second grade. As a senior at WOHS, Trigal holds a 4.53 GPA in all honors and AP classes.

“I realized I had an aptitude for math and science when I attended Edison Middle School and Liberty Middle School,” Trigal began.

“I quickly found myself grasping mathematical concepts very quickly and wanting to learn more. Science took me a little while, but when I took Honors Science in eighth grade, I soon noticed that I also enjoyed learning about how science answers world questions.I enjoy learning about how the human body and chemistry work together. It is truly fascinating to learn about drug delivery and how people are currently researching other ways for people to take medicines to target specific parts of the body,” she added.

Rosario Taveras discussed her experience at Carnegie Mellon.

“My experience at Carnegie Mellon was challenging, but also exciting and inspiring,” she noted.

“My courses consisted of Graph Theory, Chemistry, Polymer Chemistry, Writing, and Student to Scholar, which all challenged me to step outside my comfort zone. All the professors and additional staff made themselves available to help and support each student. The program also included special workshops throughout the six weeks that consisted of civil and environmental engineering, to public speaking skills, all which helped me grow as a student,” she explained.

In addition to a very rigorous class schedule, Rosario Taveras also had time to enjoy some sightseeing in Pittsburgh, including the Andy Warhol Museum and Heinz History Center.

“My friends and I enjoyed seeing Pittsburgh from above by taking the Duquesne Incline, and enjoying special events like the annual Picklesburgh festival,” she said.

In addition to her academic success, Trigal is President of the Italian Club and Italian Honor Society. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta, Science Honor Society, Rho Kappa, and Escriptus; is manager of the softball team, a member of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), and is a Mountaineer Mentor. Outside of school, she volunteers at her church, tutors elementary students, and works as a lead cashier at an indoor amusement park.

Rosario Taveras discussed her hopes for college.

“I am interested in majoring in Chemical Engineering, and I am looking into schools such as Villanova University, Lehigh University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Stevens Institute of Technology,” she stated.

“I would like to thank the SAMS program and its advisors, Ms. Rowshan and Ms. Monica, as well as all my professors who taught me valuable life lessons, and expanded my passion for math and science. I am very grateful to have met the students that were in the Pre-College programs as well. They brought my experience up to another level, making it much more exciting. They will forever hold a special place in my heart and memory,” she concluded.

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