Council Rock’s District Science Night Set For May 18

In an ever-changing, progressively complex world, it’s more important now than ever before that our youth possess the knowledge and skills set to solve problems, make sense of information, and understand how to gather and evaluate evidence to make thoughtful decisions. It’s imperative that young minds have opportunities to develop these kinds of abilities in disciplines known as STEM - science, technology, engineering, and math.

Sponsored by KVK Tech Inc., this year's annual Council Rock District Science Night offers a chance to build those cognitive connections for youth. On Thursday, May 18 from 6 – 8 PM at Council Rock South, over twenty-three STEM-based fun and exciting hands-on activities will be offered for kids and families like a Digital Starlab, 3D Drone design & creation, and a real-life dissolution experiment taught by KVK Chemists, just to name a few.

“KVK is proud to partner with the Council Rock Community and help foster the next generation of scientists,” says Anthony Tabasso, President/CEO of KVK. “We are excited to bring this type of experiential learning dynamic to the students through our sponsorship to District Science Night and the STEM Ambassadors program. We truly understand the positive impact it can make. We are committed to providing opportunities for Council Rock students to grow and thrive in STEM fields, and one day bring their talents to the workforce in Bucks County, and Pennsylvania overall.” In addition, KVK Tech Inc. chemists will share real-life work experience to high school students interested in a career in STEM through Council Rocks’ STEM Ambassador program.

Founded in 2004, KVK Tech Inc., a privately owned pharmaceutical company headquartered in Newtown, Pa., has fast become a trusted leader in generics. Committed to maintaining business operations in America, KVK purchased the Lockheed-Martin complex in Newtown in 2016 to expand manufacturing and add a state-of-the-art manufacturing and R&D facility.

“If we want our current generation of future leaders to have the ability to understand and solve some of the problematic challenges of today and tomorrow, and to meet the demands of the dynamic and evolving workforce, then as a community we need to agree that building students’ skills, content knowledge and fluency in STEM fields is essential. That’s why partnerships like KVK’s is vital for continued development and growth for our young people,” says Gail Acosta, Executive Director of the Council Rock Education Foundation.

STEM education is important for our children and to our U.S. economy. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects STEM occupations and employment growth more than 9 million between 2012 and 2022. Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Education reports that approximately 3 million of those jobs will go unfilled by 2018. One of the reasons is not enough students seriously consider a career in STEM as only 16 percent of American high school seniors are proficient in mathematics and interested in a STEM career.

Council Rock’s District Science Night is presented by the Council Rock Education Foundation (CREF) in partnership with the Council Rock School District. Since 2007, CREF has funded more than $200,000 in S.T.E.A.M. learning projects throughout the Council Rock School District. For more information about collaborating, please contact Gail Acosta, CREF Executive Director at 215-944-1023 or go to www.creducationfoundation.org

Photo from left to right; James Sykes (KVK Tech Director of Human Resources), Orla McCourt (KVK Tech Human Resources Senior Team Leader), Renee Devlin (District Coordinator of CRSD S.T.E.M. Education), Allison MacGahan (Co-President of the Council Rock Education Foundation), Kevin Beauparlant (Co-President of the Council Rock Education Foundation), Susan Elliott (Assistant Superintendent of CRSD) and Anthony Tabasso (KVK Tech President/CEO).