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| Contributed Photo/Andrew Parker MSSM instructor Larry Berz and Stephen Whitney of Milo help set up a high-powered rocket that was launched on the airstrip of the former Loring Air Force Base as part of MSSM’s second annual Educators Camp held the week of July 28 through Aug. 2. |
By Lisa Wilcox
Staff Writer
LIMESTONE — The Maine School of Science and Mathematics held its second annual Educators’ Camp the week of July 28 through Aug. 3. The purpose of the camp is to build a network of educators across Maine who are vested in improving the learning experience of science, technology, engineering and mathematics for students. Teachers share their practices, knowledge and experiences to improve and grow as educators in their own classrooms.
The educators participate in three weeklong, immersive courses. Some of the courses offered this year included Introduction to LEGO Robotics and Mindstorms Programming, Modular Origami, Hands-on Molecular Biology Techniques, Do-It-Yourself Hydroponics and Methods of Flight.
The Methods of Flight course gave participants the opportunity to take part in a high-powered rocket launch held on the airstrip at the former Loring Air Force Base. All of the students joined the National Association of Rocketry to earn certification. They had to each build their own rockets that met certain safety requirements.
In addition, the flight of each of their rockets had to be witnessed and the rocket had to be inspected before each launch. The purpose of gaining the NAR certification was to be able to use model and high-powered rockets in the classroom and in after-school programs throughout the state.
Three educators gained certification in high-powered rocketry — Larry Berz of Caribou, an MSSM instructor; Amanda Boyce from West Gardiner; and Jeff Goldman from Orono. A student from MSSM also gained certification, Kineo Wallace from Milo. Stephen Whitney, also from Milo, who is certified in multiple levels of high-powered rocketry, served as the educator and certification inspector over the course of the week.
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| Aroostook Republican Photo/ Lisa Wilcox Freeman Hrabowski III, president of University of Maryland Baltimore County, was the keynote speaker at the kick-off of MSSM’s second annual Educators Camp held at the school on July 28. |
The annual conference is predominantly for Maine educators who teach STEM courses in grades 6 through 12; however, the magnet school has hopes of expanding the program to teachers of grades kindergarten through 12 in the future.
Ernie Easter, a grades 6 through 8 teacher in New Sweden, attended the camp for the first time, taking the Robotics and Hydroponics courses offered.
“I learned a heck of a lot,” Easter commented. “Both subjects gave a lot of background knowledge to pass on to my students. I knew a lot about building LEGO robots; programming was what I needed to learn.”
The New Sweden School is in the process of constructing a greenhouse for its students to learn hydroponics. Easter and New Sweden Principal Laurie Spooner both took the class in order to teach about areas such as pH, light, nutrients and other aspects of what a plant needs to grow.
Easter, a 33-year teaching veteran, has seen a lot of changes in the education system over the years. Recently, the focus has switched toward encouraging students to have an interest in STEM related subjects, and Easter found the educators camp a useful tool in moving toward that goal.
“It gave me the chance to work on curriculum ideas to incorporate STEM concepts,” Easter said. “There is a change in the way we are looking at things and especially in getting the kids to think about the engineering cycle.”
Easter also enjoyed the opportunity to network with other teachers.
“It was nice to see that we all have the same thing in mind,” Easter said.
In addition to educators from Maine, this year’s camp also saw five math and science instructors from Beijing No. 19 School attend to learn more about the Western style of education.
A generous donation from an anonymous donor made it possible for the Maine educators to attend the camp for free. Renowned presenters in STEM from across the country and Canada also joined in the initiative.
Freeman Hrabowski III, president of the University of Maryland Baltimore County, was the keynote speaker at the beginning of the camp on July 28. Hrabowski, who has been the president of UMBC since 1992, spoke about his journey towards becoming a leader in STEM education and offered his insights on effective and innovative STEM teaching and learning.
In 2008 Hrabowski was named one of America’s best leaders by U.S. News and World Report, and in 2012 was named one of the 100 most influential people in the World by Time Magazine. He was also recently appointed by President O’Bama to chair the newly created President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans.
