2022 People Newspapers STEAM Special Section

PeopleNewspapers

PrestonHollowPeople

JANUARY 2022

ParkCitiesPeople

4

A Principal’s Prescription For Early Science Education

7

Girls, Need a Role Model?

Meet This Bat Woman

9

CSI: Ursuline - Academy Girls Are on The Case

(PHOTO: COURTESY DALLAS ISD)

Readying Your Children For The Careers of Tomorrow

B2 January 2022 | STEAM

DALLAS IN TOP 20 OF STEM JOB GROWTH

Space Camp Schools ready students for related career fields Alumnae Discovers Her Out of This

By Bethany Erickson World Passion bethany.erickson@peoplenewspapers.com

D

allas found its way to the top 20 of an index designed to track STEM job growth — and experts say that will be very good for the local economy.

Our research has also indicated that STEM jobs tend to be more resistant to economic shocks.

Karl Pischke RCLCO, a real estate consulting firm, produced its yearly look at job growth in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields across the country, finding Dallas perched at No. 11.

In education, sometimes art is added in to make it STEAM, because of the creativity involved in design elements.

“The average STEM job in the United States has a wage of nearly $90,000, and that’s compared to an average wage of $40,000 for other industries,” said RCLCO vice president Karl Pischke. “Our research has also indicated that STEM jobs tend to be more resistant to economic shocks.”

Between 2005 and 2015, STEM employment grew by nearly 25% — more than five times the growth of non-STEM jobs.

Pischke pointed to U.S. Department of Labor statistics that project at least a million new STEM jobs in the

2020s — an 11% growth compared to 8% for non-STEM jobs.

And while part of the stability is its variability — there are a lot of occupations and career paths that fall under the STEM umbrella — RCLCO’s analysis found that about half of all such jobs are computer-related, with the fastest-growing in the past five years coming in the computer user support, industrial engineering, information security, and civil engineering fields.

“Over the coming decade, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the strongest growth to concentrate in computers and mathematics, architecture and engineering, and life, physical & social science,” the firm’s report said. “However, it is important to note that these projections have also been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with life, physical, and social science jobs seeing a more significant bump in projected future job growth. This category includes jobs like medical scientists and epidemiologists, two professions that have received wellearned attention in light of their impacts during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Area schools are preparing students for STEM-ready career paths, including Dallas ISD. The district expanded its array of STEM learning opportunities to include their youngest scholars (a new biomedical elementary collaboration with UT Southwestern Medical School) and its oldest students, thanks to collegiate academies, specialized magnet schools, and its latest effort — career institutes that create opportunities for students to earn certifications for a variety of jobs.

The three locations offer training in STEM-related fields like aviation flight mechatronics, cybersecurity, electrical and solar technology, and health science occupations like patient care

STEM VIRTUAL EXPO

What: Dallas ISD boasts the largest STEM EXPO in Texas where students explore, design, and create real-world science, technology, engineering, and mathematics activities.

When: Jan. 22, 2022

Registration: Visit dallasisd.org/ stemday Details: The event draws more than 130 hands-on exhibits and serves as the culmination event for these District Championships – Science & Engineering Fair, VEX, and First Robotics Competitions, Mathematics Video Game Challenge, Mathematics Bridge Building Competition, Health and Wellness Awareness, and the Tech Fest Digital Media Fair Competition. technician and pharmaceutical technician certifications.

In 2020, Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa told reporters that the increased focus on growth fields would benefit the city.

“I keep telling Mayor Johnson, to grow southern Dallas — when these kids get out, make a good living, and they can buy a house in Pleasant Grove, South Dallas, Oak Cliff, now they have disposable income, and they’re going to demand a Starbucks, they’re going to demand a grocery store,” he said. “That’s how you build southern Dallas, and we’re going to get there.”

Dallas ISD positioned itself to contribute to the STEM/STEAM job market through a variety of programs, including an array of Career Institutes that aim to graduate work-ready scholars. (PHOTO: COURTESY DALLAS ISD)

I was only in sixth grade when I discovered my fascination with space.

I began to look at photos of planets, stars, and galaxies with a new perspective of wonder and admiration. Space exploration fascinated me, and how impossibly small the world is in the infinite plane of the cosmos utterly astonished me.

I knew that I was passionate about S Y D N E Y S L AY space, but what did that mean for me?

At the time, when I thought of an engineer, what immediately came to mind was a brainy man building machines in a factory.

An aerospace engineer sounded equally intimidating. So, as I prepared for my first year at Space Camp after my seventh-grade year, I was terrified not only that I would be one of the only girls there but that everyone would know way more about space than I did.

Upon arrival at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, I pleasantly realized that the camp consisted of almost an equal number of boys and girls, which settled my initial nerves a bit.

After spending a week with my fellow “Atlas” teammates, I discovered that all of us were at that camp not because we already knew a lot about space and space exploration, but to learn about our shared passion, encouraging and challenging each other along the way.

Space camp further increased my passion and educated me on the specific options available in a STEM field that I’m passionate about. This STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education has allowed me to pursue my passions in a way that seventh-grade me did not even realize existed.

Space Camp has allowed me to hear from astronauts about their journeys into the program and given me added confidence and teamwork to work with my school’s robotics teams.

Our education system must cultivate youth who are genuinely excited, interested, and passionate about the advancement of STEM by providing ample opportunities for STEM education because true devotion to the advancement of our life on Earth yields breakthroughs in our universe as we know it.

Space camp offered me an insight into furthering my passion in the future by providing me the opportunity to grow my love for STEM. I encourage young students interested in STEM to take the chance on the opportunities that arise because you never know what interest may develop into your true passion.

Sydney Slay, now a junior at the Hockaday School, began appearing in the paper in 2017 when she and her Hockadaisies teammates earned a trip to California by taking third place in the North Texas First Lego League tournament sponsored by the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. This is her debut as a writer for the paper.

peoplenewspapers.com | January 2022 B3

B4 January 2022 | STEAM

New Biomedical Elementary Principal Just What the Doctor Ordered

By Bethany Erickson

bethany.erickson@peoplenewspapers.com When looking for a principal for a new elementary school with a biomedical focus, you probably won’t get one more qualified than a family doctor who switched gears to become a public school educator.

Not long after Dallas ISD announced that it was collaborating with UT Southwestern Medical Center to create a pre-kindergarten through 8th-grade biomedical school in the city’s medical district, it named Robert Gonzalez as the principal.

The school will open in August 2022 as one of the first of its kind in the nation.

Before moving to Texas, Gonzalez was a family doctor in Colombia. After leaving due to increasing danger in his home country, he also pivoted to teaching through Dallas ISD’s alternative certification program.

From there, he made his way up the ranks, eventually becoming principal at Stevens Park Elementary. When the biomedical school opportunity came, he was immediately — and enthusiastically — interested.

“I hope you can hear it in my voice,” he said about how excited he is for a new job tailored to his specific skill set. “When this came to life, and I applied, I thought back to my 3-year-old child. I want him to be exposed to what I’m planning for

I believe this is the most important part — I have to teach them that mistakes help us learn. It’s a culture of failure to get to a discovery.

Mistakes are celebrations for us.

Robert Gonzalez

Robert Gonzalez was a family doctor in Colombia, and after a career change to teaching, will now helm Dallas ISD’s new biomedical elementary school collaboration with UT Southwestern. (PHOTOS: COURTESY DALLAS ISD; UNSPLASH) everybody else. My time and effort are out there because I love all the things that I am doing.”

His new school will initially work with children ages 3 and 4 through the first grade,

eventually expanding to eighth grade.

The curriculum will surround students with STEAM opportunities by introducing them to real-world experiences in biomedical science through their daily

lessons and innovative field trips.

But how do you approach a biomedical focus with children so young?

“The first thing we’re going to do is we’re going to teach them how to set goals,” Gonzalez said. “What is our goal?

How do we set a goal? How do we pursue the goal?

“Then we’ll start asking questions.

Scientists, they ask questions all the time,” he said, adding that questionasking is something that is solidly in a preschooler’s wheelhouse. “I have a 3-year-old in my house, and they’re always asking questions. I’m training parents so they can listen to those questions and ask something else for them to find out the answer. Don’t just give the answer, but make sure they explore what the kid is thinking.”

After goal setting and question asking, Gonzalez said there is a third valuable mindset that he hopes to impart to his young scholars.

“I believe this is the most important part — I have to teach them that mistakes help us learn,” he said. “It’s a culture of failure to get to a discovery. Mistakes are celebrations for us.”

H O W T O A P P LY The application window for Dallas ISD Choice, Transformation, and Magnet schools runs through Jan. 31, 2022. Visit dallasisd.org/ choosedallasisd to apply.

Lessons From The Heart

Former student helps Hyer third graders learn about cardiac conditions, health

By Rachel Snyder

rachel.snyder@peoplenewspapers.com

Molly Nolan uses her life experiences to educate thirdgrade talented and gifted (TAG) students at her alma mater, Hyer Elementary, about heart health.

It’s great that they want to learn about abnormalities so they can learn about the heart.

Molly Nolan Nolan has tetralogy of Fallot, a condition caused by four heart defects present at birth that affect the heart’s structure and cause oxygen-poor blood to flow out to the rest of the body, according to the Mayo Clinic.

She speaks to students in Hyer’s third grade TAG Explorations class about her condition, other heart abnormalities, and doctors’ procedures to treat them.

Her visits to Hyer started

about 12 years ago when a friend who had a child in the class asked if she wanted to speak to the students as part of their lessons about heart health. Those lessons include dissecting a pig heart.

Nolan has spoken at Hyer each year since, except for 2020, because of the pandemic.

“It’s great that they want to learn about abnormalities so they can learn about the heart,” Nolan said.

As part of her presentation, Nolan discusses how a normal heart compares to that of someone with tetralogy of Fallot and shows videos that demonstrate how procedures like valve replacement and devices like pacemakers and defibrillators work.

“When you have Tetralogy of Fallot, your heart looks really different from the normal heart,” student Emma Elverum said.

“The pictures were really cool and explained the differences.”

Nolan’s doctor has provided such learning tools as several pacemakers to bring and teach the students about how they work to regulate heart rate and rhythm.

“It was cool how she passed

TOP, BACK ROW FROM LEFT: Alice Hodges, Anna Kate Schulte, Molly Nolan, Grant Kosel, Lane Crow, Nathan Marx, and Emma Elverum. FRONT ROW: Lala Fabris, Tori Castellanos, Caleb Yoon, Timmy Chong, and Abby Chong. RIGHT: Grant Kisol dissected a pig’s heart as part of lessons about heart health. (PHOTOS: COURTESY HPISD)

around the pacemakers, and we got to touch them,” student Timmy Chong added.

Nolan, though, most enjoys seeing what the students learn.

“The most special part of the whole thing is seeing what they take away from it,” she said of the students. “I like to broaden their learning and broaden their knowledge.”

She said one of the things she asks the students is, “how would you treat your friend if they couldn’t walk a mile with you?”

“I think kids are more aware of differences,” Nolan added.

“They’re so smart. I ask a lot of questions of them.”

Teacher Carrie Boydston said, “The students and I love when Molly comes to our classroom.

“She provides an authentic learning experience for the students by putting the human touch on our study of the heart,” Boydston said. “Her energy and sense of humor are unmatched, and I’m so thankful for her willingness to share her story with us.”

peoplenewspapers.com | January 2022 B5

B6 January 2022 | STEAM

TEXAS NEEDS A LONE STAR SPACE PLAN TO KEEP ITS ADVANTAGE Just outside Van Horn, four private crewmembers – including actor William Shatner – lifted off in a rocket built by Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos’ space flight company.

That October 2021 trip came a month after SpaceX launched the first orbital flight with an all-civilian crew.

It is the dawn of a new M A R G A R E T space race – this time between SPELLINGS states over the fast-growing private-sector industry.

Texas should be well-positioned, but even though “Houston” is a NASA callsign, home to the Johnson Space Center, and synonymous with space travel, it’s far from certain that Texas will lead the pack.

From Colorado to Alabama to Florida, others are aggressively pursuing what Morgan Stanley estimates could be a $1 trillion industry by 2040.

To compete, Texas must organize for success.

Fortunately, we have a head start, even beyond SpaceX’s and Blue Origin’s highprofile launches from Texas.

Such aerospace companies as Lockheed Martin and Raytheon have a significant presence in North Texas.

Houston’s investments to turn Ellington Field into a spaceport attracted emerging leaders, Axiom Space and Intuitive Machines.

The University of Texas campuses in El Paso and Austin joined the Space Force University Partnership Program to prepare students for the industry’s future highwage jobs.

The benefits are real.

The SpaceX expansion in Brownsville has created good-paying jobs and community investment. Many of the company’s roughly 1,500 employees live there.

To create such dividends across the state, Texas needs to act decisively.

A Lone Star space plan should start with three key steps: First, Texas must align and coordinate state and

local governments, identifying ways to streamline regulation and processes.

Second, the state needs to look hard at how it can attract industry leaders. That doesn’t mean reckless corporate giveaways; it means being realistic about assessing the support other states offer and ensuring that Texas is keeping pace — at least to the point that our unique strengths, resources, and attributes provide a competitive advantage.

Finally, and most importantly, attracting and growing the space industry requires a solid education-to-workforce pipeline.

In the end, the states that lead in the space-age economy won’t be the ones with the most eye-popping incentive packages — they’ll be the ones that compete most strongly on the fundamentals of talent, resources, and can-do government capabilities.

If Texas charts the right course in this space race, the benefits will go far beyond the space industry. Indeed, an advanced and wellplanned workforce strategy will propel every part of our economy and fortify Texas’ strength and leadership for another century.

This one small step could create a Texassized leap forward.

Former U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, of Highland Park, is president and CEO of Texas 2036.

Retired Col. Tim Kopra, vice president for robotics and space operations at MDA; Brownsville Mayor Trey Mendez; and Maynard Holt, CEO of Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co., contributed to this op-ed, which has also run in the ‘Houston Chronicle.’

Captain Kirk may be from Iowa, according to Star Trek lore, but when it came time for the actor who made the character famous to go to space, he launched from Texas. FROM LEFT: Audrey Powers, William Shatner, Chris Boshuizen, Glen de Vries, and Sarah Knights. (PHOTOS: COURTESY BLUE ORIGIN)

peoplenewspapers.com | January 2022 B7

From Girl Scout to Bat Woman Kristen Lear credits role models

By Sophia Wilson People Newspapers

Over 2 million people viewed bright orange, life-like statues spread across the courtyard and corridors at NorthPark Center before the exhibit moved on in late fall.

And some saw themselves.

“It’s very surreal to see the statues in real life and be able to look yourself in the face,” bat conservationist Kristen Lear said.

Lear, one of the 125 American Association for The Advancement of Science (AAAS) IF/THEN® Ambassadors chosen to encourage girls to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics careers, described posing for her statue.

“We literally stood in this big kind of tent, and there were cameras from every angle,” she said. “They take pictures from all those angles, put them together in a 3D file, then print it on a 3D printer.”

The Lyda Hill Philanthropies’ #IfThenSheCan – The Exhibit showcases innovative women outfitted in gear typical of their jobs, ranging from a gaming company CEO to a fashion designer. Missed it at NorthPark? Check it out virtually at ifthenexhibit.org.

Lear, now of Fort Collins, Colorado, is excited to serve as a role model to young girls.

“I realized how important having those role models visible to you is,” she said.

Her journey into wildlife conservation was influenced by powerful female figures who contributed to Lear’s passion for saving bats and studying science. Those included her mom, who served as her Girl Scouts troop leader.

In the sixth grade, Lear built bat houses for her Girl Scout Silver award project and learned about the dangers many species face.

She went on to study bats at Ohio Wesleyan University, where she received a bachelor’s degree in zoology.

Afterward, on a full scholarship, she moved to South Australia for a year to study the Southern Bent Wing Bat, a critically endangered species.

In San Saba, Texas, Lear worked as a field research assistant in pecan orchards, observing bats, figuring out what they eat, and identifying whether they reduced the population of moth pests that destroyed the crops.

She finished her doctorate at the University of Georgia in 2020.

Wherever she goes, she promotes bat conservation.

“I love to do education outreach,” said Lear, who also participates in virtual engagements through Zoom to connect to those in countries all over the world.

The National Geographic Explorer Classroom and Skype Scientists offered students sessions with her.

Lear also enjoys spreading awareness through her style of clothing. She feels it is an easy prompt to “get people talking” in an engaging and fun way.

Lear wears unique items such as a shirt printed with a detailed photo she took of a bat and large necklaces that display the animal. Check out her fashions at redbubble.com/people/ batsforlife/shop.

“Having the beginning opportunity when I was just 12 and having that spark (for bat conservation projects) was what propelled me on into this career,” she said. “And so, I want to do that for younger girls and be that younger spark for them.”

Kristen Lear reassumes the pose she used Sophia Wilson is a senior at Highland when cameras captured images of her for a Park High School who likes to write and 3D-printed statue. (PHOTO: SOPHIA WILSON) dance.

The Perot Museum of Nature and Science has a knack for making learning fun. A new exhibit features models of famous skyscrapers made from Legos. (PHOTO: COURTESY PEROT MUSEUM)

Perot Exhibit Shows Legos Aren’t Just For Playing Opening a new box of Legos is obviously fun, but every time you build something new, you’re also using science, engineering, and math.

Yeah, those bricks are not just for play.

You need math to know how many bricks you need and what sizes for each JOHN ERICKSON thing you build. You need engineering know-how so your project doesn’t fall apart. You need science to know how to plan for speed or gravity even.

So, when the Perot Museum of Nature and Science debuted Towers of Tomorrow with LEGO Bricks, the natural combination of a science museum and a toy became clear.

The exhibit features 20 iconic skyscrapers from all over the world. It took more than 2,000 hours and half a million bricks. They were built by Ryan McNaught, who has a cool job — he’s a LEGO certified professional builder.

There are only 21 in the world.

“In our commitment to inspire minds through nature and science, the Perot Museum strives to bring in engaging exhibitions that spark those ‘ah-ha’ moments,” said Linda Silver, the Eugene McDermott Chief Executive Officer of the museum. “Towers of Tomorrow with LEGO® Bricks is a hands-on experience for all ages and a fun way to cultivate that crucial interest in STEM.” I had a chance to go to the exhibit and was amazed at the buildings. It can take me a day (and the help of my dad) to get one LEGO project done, so the fact that

they built more than 20 huge skyscrapers is impressive.

I did the math — it took the equivalent of more than two-and-a-half months to build everything.

I liked the CN Tower the best, but there are so many great projects in the room, including the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building.

And, after you’re done admiring the skyscrapers, you can sit down at any of the four stations stocked with tons of LEGO bricks so you can build your creation. In total, the Perot said there are more than 200,000 bricks in the stations for visitors to play with. If they are proud enough of their creation, they can add it to display tables around the exhibit.

“Highland Capital Philanthropies believes children learn best when they are having fun, which is why we are proud to support the Perot Museum’s effort to ignite STEM learning in our youth through this new exhibition, which showcases iconic skyscrapers from around the world – all constructed with LEGO® bricks,” said Highland Capital Philanthropies’ (who helped bring the exhibit to Dallas) Lucy Bannon. “We’re especially excited about the hands-on experiences offered as part of the exhibition, which give guests the opportunity to construct their own buildings and in turn gain a deeper understanding of the ingenuity of these engineering feats.”

Overall, it was a fun exhibit, and you should go see it for yourself.

John Erickson, the son of deputy editor Bethany Erickson, is a fifth-grader at Chapel Hill Preparatory in Dallas.

B8 January 2022 | STEAM

BACK ROW, FROM LEFT: David Monroe, Adan Sais, Tyler Shaw, Wyatt Curtis, Sage Warner, Noah Liu, Andrew West, Thomas West, and Eddie Franco. FRONT: Kaden Handoko, Andrew Beumer, Lauren Couturier, Caden Jobe, Andrew Wetzel, Jackson Rhodes, and Brady Grantham. (PHOTO: COURTESY OF TRINITY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY)

If You Build It, They Will Learn

TCA middle school building construction offers on-site engineering lessons

By William Taylor

william.taylor@peoplenewspapaers.com

Trinity Christian Academy expects to open its new middle school building in August 2022, but students aren’t having to wait anywhere near that long to receive instruction in the space.

The construction site has become a learning lab of sorts for seventh-and eighth-grade high-tech robotics classes and upper school students taking honors engineering design.

Representatives of contractor Balfour Beatty have used site tours to introduce students to construction science and management.

Balfour’s “student mentoring program allows students to acquire a general understanding of the construction process through each phase of construction,” senior project manager David Monroe said.

The initial session in the fall explored site prep, designs of the fortified library that will serve as a storm shelter, and foundation construction.

“This program is for students interested in pursuing a career in architecture, construction, and engineering industries where they can receive interaction with industry experts and exposure to a variety of career paths,” Monroe said.

I think one of the biggest takeaways for the students is how important the research and planning steps are in the design process.

Felicia Townley Camille Barton, a TCA mom, engineer, and CEO of Purdy-McGuire Inc., has lent her expertise, too.

During a class visit, she walked students through mechanical, electrical, and plumbing designs for the building.

Honors engineering teacher Lisa

Wong’s upper school students have learned about design, manufacturing, and supply chain.

“Taking this tour allowed the students to see first-hand construction in action,” Wong said. “They saw how many different types of engineers – such as mechanical, electrical, plumbing, architectural, etc. –are needed for production of this magnitude.”

Constructing a building may not be the same as building a robot, but design lessons f rom the tours weren’t lost on middle school students, technology/robotics teacher Felicia Townley said.

“Being able to hear and see the design process unfold from the months of detailed research and planning, the communication and collaboration involved, to seeing the ideas and sketches being built have given the students a better understanding of what we are doing in my class when we are working through the design process,” Townley said. “I think one of the biggest takeaways for the students is how important the research and planning steps are in the design process.”

COMING SOON What: A three-story, 44,600-squarefoot new Middle School building.

When: Opening in August 2022 Where: Next to Tom Landry Stadium on the Trinity Christian Academy campus Features: Seventh- and eighth-grade classrooms for history/English, math, Bible, Latin, and science; A technology and robotics lab as well as a learning lab and literacy center for grades five through eight; A library, common area, and collaborative workspaces for students; An office suite including conference rooms and lounge for faculty and staff.

You are invited to virtually dissect the human body, build a prototype with a 3D printer, take immersive classes in the arts and the sciences, and learn from teachers dedicated to your success.

You are invited to discover your future.

Explore Ursuline by visiting www.ursulinedallas.org/admissions.

Won’t you join us?

URSULINE ACADEMY OF DALLAS

Ursuline Academy creates experiences unlike any other.

All-Girl, Catholic, College Prep, Grades 9-12 4900 Walnut Hill Lane | Dallas, Texas 75229 469-232-1800 | www.ursulinedallas.org Ursuline Academy admits qualified students without regard to race, color, or national or ethnic origin.

A P P L I C AT I O N D E A D L I N E J A N U A R Y 7

peoplenewspapers.com | January 2022 B9

CSI: Ursuline Academy

Students become detectives in Kirsten Lindsay-Hudak’s forensics class Emilea McCutchan People Newspapers

Ursuline Academy is turning students into detectives.

The yearlong forensics class, reserved for seniors, combines physics, chemistry, and biology in a simulated work experience where students learn skills and techniques used in modern forensic labs.

“I really enjoy being able to provide the students an experience in science where they can see what they’re learning in school is applied in the real world,” forensics teacher Kirsten Lindsay-Hudak said.

Students apply to work for the Ursuline Academy Criminal Investigation Division and investigate, analyze evidence, and review cases during a training academy that runs through Thanksgiving.

After passing a certification exam, students receive a special investigator badge, get assigned a partner, and work assigned cases.

“Each detective pair gets a unique case

that includes a police report, witness statements, and [an] evidence packet [with] actual physical evidence,” Lindsay-Hudak said. “[Students] will interview all of the people involved in the case, and they will develop the narrative for how the crime occurred.”

Students submit their analysis as a court summary, or testimony, for when they take the stand as an expert witness in a mock trial case, which takes the place of their final assessment.

Sometimes, Lindsay-Hudak said, students solve crimes among Ursuline faculty members.

“A faculty staff case [is] where we have little, minor crimes faculty pretend to have committed, and [students] will figure out which faculty member [is] guilty,” she said.

“They interview them [and] they collect fingerprints. Then, they have to match it, and whoever they think is guilty, they get to deliver an arrest warrant to.”

Students also participate in labs, take notes, complete homework, and attend

“conferences and workshops” such as a recent one Lindsay-Hudak led on interviewing techniques.

I really enjoy being able to provide the students an experience in science where they can see what they’re learning in school is applied in the real world.

Kirsten LindsayHudak “It’s a technology-enhanced, active learning environment,” she said. “Everything we do is basically digital. [Students

are] using their phones to photograph evidence, we have digital microscopes, and we can use different programs to analyze things.”

Piper Rutherford hopes to become a prosecutor.

“I just wanted to learn more about the inner workings of investigating and analyzing evidence and a crime scene,” she said.

“Also, just growing up, I’ve always loved watching shows like 20/20, Dateline NBC, and even some of the cliches like Dexter.”

Rutherford said her favorite parts included a blood module, where students did blood typing, and examining fibers such as hair under a microscope to determine from which species it came.

Rutherford recommends the class for those who enjoy freedom and an element of accountability. “I think that if you’re someone who wants a hands-on experience that includes everything you’ve learned in science [throughout] high school, such as physics, biology, and chemistry, it’s all applied in forensics.”

Kirsten Lindsay-Hudak teaches Ursuline Academy seniors to apply science to investigating cases in her forensics class. FROM LEFT: Charity Foreman, Anastacia Chu, Emma Luo, Jana Elawar, Theresa Tran, and Shelby Lovejoy with teacher Kirsten Lindsay-Hudak. RIGHT: Sydney Hatton. (PHOTOS: COURTESY URSULINE ACADEMY)

SHELTON PRIDE STEM + Full STEAM Ahead Fostering exploration, innovation, creation, collaboration Something for everyone:

ENGAGE ENRICH EMPOWER

• Robotics Team, Grade 6-8

• Engineering classes/club

• Coding, Grade 1 and above

• Problem-solving experiences

• Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality • Gaming and 3D animation • Robust summer and after-school offerings • Maker space, 3D design, modeling • Expansive fine arts offerings and printing • HTML and web design

• 12 science labs, 4 STEAM rooms

• High school film program

• Genius Bar-style IT center

Shelton School and Evaluation Center 17301 Preston Road, Dallas, TX 75252 SHELTON.ORG

SINCE 1976

B10 January 2022 | STEAM

Full STEAM Ahead For Robotics

HPISD middle, intermediate school students learn engineering, coding skills

By Rachel Snyder

rachel.snyder@peoplenewspapers.com

The rollout of robotics programming for McCulloch Intermediate and Highland Park Middle schools began full STEAM ahead this fall, and district officials say they plan to continue to expand opportunities for students.

Highland Park High School already had a robotics program in place when HPISD officials announced in the spring of 2021 plans to offer younger grade levels comprehensive robotics with classroom and extracurricular activities in engineering and coding.

A ​​$10,000 gift from the Park Cities Talented and Gifted (PCTAG) parent organization helped support the efforts to launch the program in the fall.

Most re cent l y, H PMS launched a robotics club for seventh and eighth-graders, and Jean Streepey, STEAM instructional coach for MIS and HPMS said the district plans to offer a robotics club for fifth and sixth graders soon.

As part of the club, students learn about coding, robot building, and design.

“The after-school program

does really well,” HPMS principal Dr. Chris Miller said. “What’s really neat is seeing our high school kids come over here – our seventh and eighth graders really do look up to them – and being able to see their excitement that we’re doing this at such an early age.”

They come in as 10-year-olds, and they leave us ready for high school, and I think these are the years where we create dreams.

Jean Streepey Eighth-grader Luke Bodwell said he’s excited to learn more about the coding aspect of robotics.

“After we come back from Thanksgiving break, we’ll really dive more into the coding aspect of these robots because we spent the past couple of weeks working on building them,” Bodwell said.

Highland Park ISD is expanding opportunities to learn about coding, robot building, and design. FROM LEFT: Graham Gilbert, Clay Ewing, Benton Arthur, Brown Kennedy, and Derek Ward. (PHOTO: COURTESY HPISD) Miller said he hopes the program shows MIS and HPMS students the options available for them in high school and beyond.

“It’s really a 5-12 program is what it’s turned into, and that’s what’s really exciting. It gets the kids connected to what could be

robotics 1 and 2 in high school,” he said.

Eighth-grader Dev Shah said his sister is part of the high school robotics team.

“I know my sister does robotics in high school, so I wanted a middle school one,” Shah said. “I think we plan on doing

some competitions between us, and maybe if we get ... advanced enough and we get enough people, then we could possibly do it with other schools.”

Streepey said the expansion of robotics programming in the district is part of efforts to bring “STEAM for all students.”

“We want everyone to have this experience, so if they like it, they have a path f or ward, ” she said. “I think the other thing that makes us different is that we have fifth through eighth graders all in one building. That’s a huge difference for us. They come in as 10-year-olds, and they leave us ready for high school, and I think these are the years where we create dreams.”

RAIDER ROBOTICS Visit sites.google.com/ hpisd.org/raider-robotics/ home to learn more about the Raider Robotics Club.

A commitment to excellence.

STEM + Innovation Center coming soon to Greenhill School.

Learn more at greenhill.org/growingstronger.

peoplenewspapers.com | January 2022 B11

Artificial Intelligence Not Just For Computer Mavericks

Mark Cuban Foundation ‘Bootcamps’ introduce teens to basics, possibilities

By Amber Billops People Newspapers

Mark Cuban’s foundation is introducing underserved teens across North Texas and elsewhere to basic artificial intelligence concepts and skills.

“Tech is a bigger industry every day, and the younger you start, the quicker you start learning,” said instructor Ignacio Procel. “To get an entry-level job, it’s highly competitive, so any bit of experience you get early helps out.”

Procel is six months into his software development career with Headstorm, one of the 16 companies selected to host the free Mark Cuban Foundation Artificial Intelligence (AI) Bootcamps in 2021.

Cuban, the Preston Hollow resident and Dallas Mavericks owner who first made his fortune in the tech industry, explains the significance of AI on the website markcubanai.org.

“I saw the impact of PCs. Then I saw the impact of local area networks. Then I saw the impact of wide area networks. Then I saw the impact of the internet. Then I saw the impact of mobile. Then I saw the impact of wireless. Now I’m seeing the impact of artificial

Headsorm employee and mentor Faisal Alnahhas helps Hillcrest student Everrett Early during an artificial intelligence camp. (PHOTO: CHRIS MCGATHEY) intelligence. And it dwarfs any of those things,” Cuban said.

His foundation provides curriculum materials, trains volunteers, recruits students in grades nine to 12, and coordinates the boot camps.

It also works with host companies to provide food (from restaurants like Chick-Fil-A, Velvet Taco, etc.), transportation, and access to laptops and hotspots at no cost to campers.

Headstorm in Addison held

sessions over four consecutive Saturdays in October and November of 2021.

Students didn’t need prior experience with computer science or programming to attend. During the camp, they gained hands-on experience building AI apps and learned how AI transforms society and powers many of the apps used daily.

Devin Wright, a senior at DeSoto High School, who hopes to study software development at

SMU or another university, described the boot camps as an amazing experience.

“It has been an eye-opener because all of the things we are learning about AI, I had no idea of,” he said. “This is really going to help me get closer to my goal, which is being a game developer.”

Tani Nelson, a freshman at David W. Carter High School who hopes to attend an HBCU (historically black colleges and

universities), sees applications for possible careers paths such as law or real estate.

“I feel like AI has a lot to do with working cases when it comes to criminal justice or helping me land deals when it comes to real estate,” Nelson said. “It will help make my job easier.”

Instructors at Headstorm were pleased to see students getting exposed to technology that could shape their career choices.

“It’s not often in high school you get an opportunity to learn from industry professionals,” instructor Dan Peng said. “These kids are just starting to get into college, so they are all thinking about what major they are going to choose.”

T H E F O U N D AT I O N Founded by Mark Cuban in 2019, the AI Bootcamp initiative has hosted free camps for students in Dallas, El Paso, Chicago, Omaha, Detroit, and Green Bay. The Mark Cuban Foundation’s goal is to have 1,000 students graduate from the camps each year by 2023.

Visit markcubanai.org.

your creativity G S E S D A L L A S . O R G • (214) 357-1610

PCP_January2022-Draft2.pdf 1 11/30/2021 2:03:46 AM

B12 January 2022 | STEAM

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

PARK C I TI ES/ DA LLA S

|

MCCLURE-LA WGRO UP .COM

|

214.692.8200