All posts by newtonstem

Ligerbots compete in Rhode Island District FIRST Robotics Competition

After six intensive weeks of designing and building its new robot, Atlas, Newton’s dual-high-school robotics team, the LigerBots, competed well at the Rhode Island District Competition this weekend. Through mistakes and victories, the LigerBots team was the first pick for the third-place alliance captain and won the event’s Sustainability Award, which places the team 33rd out of 227 teams across the district. Other well deserved accolades earned at the event:

  • Newton South HS junior Kevin Yang, the Ligerbots’ co-Chief Technical Officer, was named a District Championship Dean’s List Semi-Finalist for his impeccable leadership.
  • Greer Swiston, an eight-year adult mentor for the Ligerbots, was nominated as a finalist for the prestigious Woodie Flowers Award, in recognition of her long-time dedication to the team.

Go LigerBots!

Grades 6-12: Apply by Mar. 17 for Beantown Bash “Anti-Hackathon,” Apr. 1

Beantown Bash is an “anti-hackathon” to be held at Tufts University (Joyce Cummings Center, 177 College Avenue, Medford) on April 1. Unlike other hackathons, it’s focused on creating, without presentations; the creations do not have to be tech-related; and results will be judged by peer participants. Suggested project tracks include:

  • Refry Rehash: Mixing and matching favorite things to make something new
  • New Connect: Finding new ways to meaningfully connect people
  • Small Data, Big Ideas: Exploring information on the community level

It’s free. While it’s focused on high school, middle-school students are welcome. Register by March 17 — individually or as a team of up to four.

Grades 8-12: Northeastern Splash!, In-Person, Mar. 18

Each spring, NEPTUN (a Northeastern University student group) hosts Splash!, a free program for students in Grades 8-12 to take fun and informative mini-classes led by Northeastern undergraduate students. This year, Splash! will again be held in-person at Ryder Hall on the Northeastern campus, on March 18, 8:30AM-6:40PM. The $0 cost includes free pizza and a T-shirt. Registration is now open and is first-come/first-served and requires setting up a free student account. For more information, see the FAQs or contact nu.neptun@gmail.com. You can also access online recordings of Digital Splash! courses from 2020. Among the 26 in-person Splash! courses this year are these STEM offerings:

  • Need a Hand?
  • The Spaghetti Challenge
  • Electronics and Soldering Workshop
  • Egg Drop Challenge
  • Origami for fun and profit, part 2
  • Thinking Outside the Cardboard Box: Prototyping with Cardboard!
  • Medical Devices, Medicine, 3D Printed Organs: Let’s talk Bioengineering!
  • The Key to Unlocking Data: An Intro to Database Management
  • The Lore of Languages: How Coding Came to Be
  • The Entire Internet in an Hour!
  • AI Q&A with an introduction
  • The Fermi Paradox: Where is Everyone?
  • Miraculous 3-Pound Jell-O
  • Speculative Evolution
  • Funky Science: DIY Lava Lamps
  • Color me Intrigued: Playing with ROY G BIV
  • We all scream for ChemE Ice Cream
  • Real Life Sci-Fi: Gene Editing

Newton Schools Foundation seeks donations for Calculus Project

The Calculus Project works in all of Newton’s middle and high schools to have more Hispanic, African American, and low-income students successfully complete calculus in high school, as a path to success in college. The program provides intensive, small-group summer classes, enrichment activities, and year-round mentoring and tutoring.  The TCP summer program includes instruction in Computer Science, field trips to STEM-related companies, and college campus visits for rising 11th graders with a focus on STEM majors and careers.

The program currently includes over 200 students in Grades 8-12 — 95% of whom are in honors or accelerated math. The Newton Schools Foundation seeks donations to expand the program to address a growing waitlist.

While the NPS operating budget funds part of the program, tax-deductible donations via the NSF are needed for the summer program, tutoring, enrichment activities, and supplies. This year’s campaign is $3,000 short of its $10,000 goal. Donate here.

Harvard Medical School: Summer MEDscience Programs, Apply by Mar. 25

Harvard Medical School’s MEDscience summer program for Grades 9-12 offers three one-week programs and one two-week program, following four different curricula:

  • MEDscience@HMS (clinical): hands-on, active learning in realistic, dynamic, simulated medical emergencies, offered each week, June 12 through August 18.
  • MEDscienceLAB (research based): hands-on lab and clinical experience in research and medical simulation, offered each of the weeks beginning June 10, 17, and August 7.
  • MEDscienceLab Forensics (research based): research underlying investigations of simulated crime scenes, offered each of the weeks beginning June 12, 26, July 24, and August 14.
  • MEDscience Moonshot (clinical): deep immersion into biomedical engineering, computer science and medicine at Harvard Medical School’s medical simulation labs and research lab, with design thinking through IDEO Cambridge, two weeks July 24-August 4.

All programs are in-person, non-residential, on the medical-school campus. Scholarships are available for Boston-area residents, awarded based on student essays and teacher assessments. Apply by March 25. For more information, email hmsmedscience@hms.harvard.edu or call 617-432-7047.