Lakeland Copper Beech MS Students at NW/Putnam STEMFest

More than 400 people turned out in March for the first STEMFest (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) held at the Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES campus in Yorktown. Those attending the STEMFest included student scientists, student visitors, parents, families, teachers, and a variety of other community members from throughout the area. The festival was open to students in grades 5-8.

“Ten of our Lakeland Copper Beech students presented their projects that day,” said Patricia Viggiano, District Director of Curriculum for Science (K-12). There were 41 student scientists and engineers representing Ossining, Lakeland, Edgemont, Ardsley, Henry Hudson, and Putnam Valley, who created 21 projects.

“One of the most exciting things about this science event was the great diversity of the students that attended,” said Mrs. Viggiano. “We had a much better representation of “women in science” than the science and engineering industry at large, with almost half of our student scientists and engineers being female,” she added. This was the first year of the event put together by a small group of administrators and teachers who wanted to provide a family science event for the region, Mrs. Viggiano explained.

The festival was held at PNWBOCES campus in Yorktown. Representatives from the New NY Bridge did a presentation. Meteorologist and Former Lakeland Teacher Jim Witt presented to the group. A Monster Storms exhibit was available for participants to walk through. The BOCES Green Machine exhibit was parked out front for all to visit.