RKYHS students from the Scientific Engineering, BioEngineering, and Robotics Engineering classes attended the 2016 CIJE Young Engineers Conference with day schools from all over the New York/New Jersey area, where teams of students presented their year-long Capstone projects. The students have spent time all year learning how to identify and solve problems using the gateway skills they’ve acquired in areas of STEM including electronics, circuitry, computer programming and data analysis. Working in teams, they developed a variety of devices to solve real-world problems, and have learned science by doing science.
The students’ forward-thinking Capstone year-end projects have included topics as wide ranging as a single use, portable AED (automated external defibrillator); a “thermocycler” for use in PCR (polymerase chain reaction) copying of DNA; a breathalyzer-based Strep test which would replace throat culture swabs; new energy-producing systems, including wind power, kinetic energy and power generated from body heat; a gun safety device to prevent accidental shootings or mass shootings; an electronic walking stick to assist the blind to “see” the path ahead; a home electroencephalogram (EEG) device to assess sleep disorders and to facilitate waking tired teenagers; a hands-free device to unlock and open doors; and a water-saving, leak-stopping device;
The RKYHS STEM program includes a four-year sequence of courses, starting with beginning-coding (in such languages as JAVA, C++ and Python) in ninth grade and leading into Scientific Engineering in 10th grade, Genetic Engineering in 11th and BioEngineering in 12th, with additional opportunities in Robotics and Computer Science for students to join along the way as well. The students still take traditional science courses but the STEM approach at RKYHS enables students to expand those experiences to get them excited about learning and engaging in science. This is key in developing the analytic and critical thinking skills students will need, not just if they pursue career paths in science and engineering, but really in any field.
