Students Explore The World Of STEM At The Solebury School

NEW HOPE, PA — Students at the Solebury School reached beyond their classrooms during a series of STEM Week activities that featured an up-close look at a bee hive, the ethical uses of artificial intelligence, hands-on experiences with birds of prey and amphibians, and an exploration of STEM-related careers.

Throughout the week, students got a look inside the busy on-campus bee hives and learned about promoting a healthy colony from apiarist Mike Knapp.

Remington Scott, acclaimed cinematic director for best-selling virtual reality (VR) and video games (Call of Duty, Mortal Kombat, Assassins Creed, Spider-Man), shared the history and current use of VR development and engaged students around the ethical uses of artificial intelligence (AI).

Students also had hands-on experiences when special guests Courtney Douds from Birds of Prey and Diane Smith from the Bucks County Audubon Society allowed students to view the birds and handle reptiles and amphibians during their educational presentations.

Guest speaker Remington Scott from Hyperreal.

Diane Smith, from the Bucks County Audubon Society, introduces student Emilia Armbruster (Class of 2025) to one of its reptiles.

Diane Smith, from the Bucks County Audubon Society, and student Madeline Calvert (Class of 2024) are wrapped up in STEM learning.

“STEM Week is an opportunity to look beyond the textbooks and assignments and see STEM careers and hobbies in action,” shared Science Department Chair Cari Nelson. “We hope that the students may hear something that sparks their interests and gives them a path to explore as they move towards college.”

Students learned about careers in forensic nursing, accounting, environmental sustainability, game design, spaceflight visualization, and more.

A highlight of the week was the sustainability tour of Hope Hall, the school's newest dormitory slated to open in late November. Hope Hall is Bucks County’s first Phius CORE design-certified Passive House multi-residential building.

Students tour Hope Hall. (Photo Credit: Tiffany Robinson)

Here's a fun fact about Hope Hall: its foundation is built on recycled, foamed glass aggregates manufactured locally and recently used by Pennsylvania’s Department of Transportation to repair a portion of Interstate Highway 95 after a tanker fire destroyed it.

“Whether it's our faculty members learning a quick lesson on how to code during a faculty meeting, professionals sharing their career journeys with our students, or the entire school participating in environmental workshops that emphasize our commitment to conservation and sustainability," shared Michelle Gavin, Mathematics Department Chair. “STEM Week unites our entire community in exploring these vital subjects. It's a chance for our students to connect with real-world STEM experiences, fostering curiosity, knowledge, and a passion for these fields.”