Introduction
Are you interested in STEM? Are you curious about the STEM opportunities available to Sentinel students? Sentinel’s Revolve STEM Club organizes weekly workshops and fun events, aiming to enrich students’ learning experiences. Although there can sometimes be seemingly insurmountable pressures and challenges associated with entering the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, some Spartans are lending a hand to their peers to help share the wonders of STEM throughout our school community; this was clearly shown during Sentinel’s very first Science Fair organized by Revolve.
Event Description + Organizer Interviews
The executive team of the Revolve STEM Club, enthusiastic STEM students themselves, found that students did not have many avenues to explore topics involving STEM outside of the classroom. To remedy this, they decided to host a science fair with the theme of “Apocalypse and the Future.” Over three months, they provided students with academic resources through weekly workshops and meetings, including pairing teams with AP Research 12 students. The two teams with the most votes would win a $200 prize in total - split into classic $25 Park Royal gift cards. In recognition of their incredible efforts, all teams received volunteer hours and certificates.
Participants
Participants in the science fair were passionate students in grades 8 through 11, and the eight teams explored a plethora of different fields in STEM, with research topics ranging from biology to engineering:
Alma has been pursuing science since grade 2 and enjoys sharing her scientific inspiration. Her research for the fair was done on Acidic vs. Alkaline soil. Alma studied the effects of nutrient-depleted soil on plants. When interviewed, Alma stated that her research could benefit those who want to establish a thriving garden at home.
Nicole and Atessa’s research was based on The Line (a linear city under construction) in Saudi Arabia. One of the challenges of building The Line was deciding where to locate it: many wished to build the city but not many places had the economic means. Nicole and Atessa enjoyed learning about The Line while preparing for the science fair as it is a revolutionary urban creation, and they wanted to spread awareness about it.
Lili’s team was interested in astronomy and climate science, so they based their project on events that would result in human extinction (i.e. climate change and asteroid impact on Earth). They were provided with research resources, and were able to learn a lot in the process.
Helen, Catherine, and Grace explored pathogens and their impact on the economy. During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the virus had negatively affected scientific, futuristic, and economic (i.e. decline in GDP) aspects of life. They wanted to estimate the impact of pathogens in the future. One challenge during their project was keeping up with the research workload while communicating effectively within the group.
Keven, Steven, Tyler, and Attila weren’t expecting to participate in the science fair, and at times found it challenging to work as a group. However, with hard work, they secured their winning title in the fair. They explored and contrasted nuclear winter and geoengineering, both being man-made technologies or phenomena that can lead to catastrophe. The team noted that both nuclear winter and geoengineering could cause lower global temperatures, and both would affect the Earth’s ozone layer. What an interesting subject of inquiry!
Conclusion
The STEM fair is something revolutionary for Sentinel; it provides students with the opportunity to share their ideas beyond the classroom, and to learn more about STEM. This year’s fair successfully wrapped up with many positive learning experiences. The Revolve STEM club aspires to remove the stigma surrounding STEM, continue their mentorship programs, and spread their ideas around the community!
Acknowledgements:
This article features statements and commentary from various participants and Revolve STEM executives; we would like to extend a huge thank you to Alice, Nasim, Nerissa, Anna, Emilie, Lili, Helen, Catherine, Grace, Keven, Steven, Tyler, Attila, Nicole, Atessa, and Alma for making this article possible!
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