Snacks with Scientists attendees Skyped with former High Technology High School student Kat Mendryk, a marine biologist at the Georgia Aquarium. Girls also heard from presenters in person at the Friday, Oct. 18 event.
Photo by Allison Perrine
MIDDLETOWN – Seventh- and eighth-grade girls from Monmouth County enjoyed an afternoon of snacks and discussions at High Technology High School Oct. 18.
As part of the school’s sixth annual Snacks With Scientists event, about 40 female middle school students gathered at High Tech to learn more about the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) field and the women who work in it – all while enjoying chips, cookies and drinks.
“All of us are really passionate about being sure that girls realize it’s not just a career for the boys,” Sarah Gross, a High Tech alumna and humanities teacher, said about the STEM field. “There are lots of different ways to get involved in STEM and middle school is the perfect time to start thinking about that.”
The afternoon event at High Tech, part of the Monmouth County Vocational School District (MCVSD), is organized each year by its National Honor Society students and STEMinist club members. They reach out to female community and PTA members and alumni to find event speakers from different STEM backgrounds. It is open to young women who live in Monmouth County.
The idea for the program came from High Tech National Honor Society students who represented New Jersey at an American Junior Academy of Science event years ago, where there was a Breakfast With Scientists program. They came back and pitched the idea to Gross and adopted the Snacks With Scientists program.
Younger students have been running it ever since, said Michael Roche, biology teacher and coordinator of the student research program. Roche said a district curriculum coordinator estimated that girls currently make up about 30 to 40 percent of High Tech’s student population.
Clinical scientist and event speaker Jessica Brescher talked to the girls about epidemiology – public health and diseases – and offered advice that she wishes she knew at an earlier age. She shared how her career path changed over time and used it as a demonstration to never give up, even when things don’t go according to plan. “Their voices are important in science,” she said.
New to the event this year, the girls Skyped with former High Tech student Kat Mendyk, a marine biologist at the Georgia Aquarium. “We always have a lot of alum who want to be involved but are not local,” said Gross. “And we want the students to interact in person with as many scientists as possible, but this year we thought we’d try a keynote and see how that went.” Plus, “they all want to talk to the person who works with whale sharks,” she said with a laugh.
The event was held for seventh- and eighth-grade girls this year as opposed to fifth- and sixth-graders as in years past. “I think this is a good way to invite more girls to apply to High Tech,” said senior student Sunny Liang, as students apply to the school as eighth-graders.
Sunny and additional High Tech seniors Malik Javaid, Brianna Yao and Lyndon Buzon volunteered at the program. They all agreed that the event is a positive for young girls and that it could encourage them to pursue STEM fields. “They might not have had enough STEM experience, so this is a way for them to learn more through mentors in the field right in Monmouth County,” said Sunny.
Malik added that it can expose girls of future generations to STEM and show them what female mentors have accomplished. “It’s like showing them that they can do it,” he said. The four volunteers said they enjoy their time at High Tech and hope to pursue various engineering or science-related fields.
Open house sessions, required for eighth-grade students planning to apply to MCVSD school, are currently being held at High Tech and Biotechnology High School in Freehold, MAST on Sandy Hook, Allied Health in Neptune, and Communications High School in Wall. Information can be found at mcvsd.org.
