Senior 2020 Edition ~ May 2020
Senior 2020 Edition ~ May 2020
Embedded Files
EDD: Presents! 2020
EDD: Presents! 2020
The Year We Went Virtual
The Year We Went Virtual
Our 2nd annual senior engineering event looked a bit different this year. With school closure due to Covid-19 and social distancing orders, our one day event faced a few changes. Revamped as a virtual "zoom" presentation over five days, Mrs. DeLong, engineering teacher extraordinaire and Mrs. Helmick, STEM Coordinator, were able to facilitate fifteen team presentations with over 70 judges and guests.
Each team was able to present their year-long project and innovated solution to a team of judges. The teams had 18-20 minutes to present and then a 10 minute question & answer session. The judges were extremely impressed with both the students, their ideas and the event.
We are so proud of all fifteen teams who worked tirelessly all yearlong amid challenges, struggles, closing of school, lack of supplies or equipment and virtual team meetings. Our students have faced adversity through this EDD project and have risen to the challenge. We will never forget this EDD: Presents! 2020 - the year we went virtual!
1st Place - Circuit Seeker
Mattew B., Cade D., & Gage M.
The winning team designed an app and "seeker" that will allow home owners and electricians determine which circuits control rooms in a residential home.
2nd Place - A Breath of Fresh Air
Macen B., Carlos C., & Ben G.
Breathing fresh air is a huge benefit to our health! This team designed an algae "bubbler" for desktop/counter top that adds needed carbon dioxide into the air of the room.
3rd Place- A-Craw-Ponics
Justin B., Sam H., & Ryan T.
These team designed and built a stackable aquaponics tower to grow your own food using crayfish as the bottom level to produce needed nitrites/nitrates.
Thank you to our EDD Sponsors!
Thank you to our EDD Sponsors!
Image Engineering Group
Image Engineering Group
Youshin & Janice Kim
Youshin & Janice Kim
NISD STEM Booster Club
NISD STEM Booster Club
Congratulations Class of 2020!
Congratulations Class of 2020!
Austin Ahmad
Austin Ahmad
Hardin Simmons University
Austin will be attending Hardin-Simmons University this fall, to earn his degree in Business Administration. His 5-year plan includes living in Palm Beach, FL and running his own business. He is excited about going to a new place, and meeting new people. There are many things things that Austin will remember about STEM ... including all of the times that he had to call his Mom to bring "Business Professional" clothes to the school for his presentations! He enjoyed the EDD project the most, because he had the freedom in completing it.
"I would like to thank Mrs. DeLong because she is a great teacher and supported me through life experiences" - Austin Ahmad
Ali Akbar
Ali Akbar
Tarrant County College
Ali plans to attend Tarrant County College to study computer engineering and marketing. While attending college, he will work as the owner of his own automobile business. After continuing his education to earn a bachelor’s degree, Ali would like to have a stable job so that he can support his family and become a homeowner. Ali has fond memories of his time in the STEM Academy, including his favorite project, the Passion Project, and his favorite memory, the annual STEM Showcase. One of Ali’s most memorable showcase experiences involved presenting his CEA project to an engaged audience. Ali is excited to pursue his interests after graduation and is grateful to his teachers and coaches.
“I would like to thank my Soccer Coaches, Coach Strader and Coach Monaghan. I would like to thank Ms. DeLong, Ms. Garrett, Ms. Williamson, Mr. Brown, Mr. Hladky, and most of all Ms. Helmick. All of these people have done a lot in past not only for me but for the entire STEM Academy.” - Ali
John Bach
John Bach
University of Texas at Arlington
After graduation, John is excited to attend the University of Texas at Arlington and major in Civil Engineering. He is excited about the freedom that college brings and in 5 years wants to be a civil engineer working for a firm. His favorite project was the passion project, because it was one of the longest projects he ever worked on and it prepared him for his EDD project senior year. His favorite memory was the last OLC field trip STEM took because they always had so much fun with their friends there.
“I would like to Thank Mrs. Helmick, she has always been there for all of the STEM students and always knew exactly how to push us to improve. In the beginning most people thought she was the “scary” authority figure (not me) but she was always the one to encourage us to do better and we would not be where we are today without her.” - John Bach
Justin Barnes
Justin Barnes
Texas A&M University
Justin is headed to Texas A&M this fall majoring in Aerospace Engineering. His career goal is to work at Lockheed Martin as a Rocket Specialist. He is most exciting about living alone after graduation and experiencing new things. His favorite STEM project was the 1 pound-1 mile rocket in Aerospace. His most favorite memory is getting to tour NASA Johnson Space Center with the Aerospace 2 team.
Sarah Barnes
Sarah Barnes
After graduation Sarah will be where she wishes to be, at home. She is planning to major in World History when she goes off to college. She dreams of working in a museum as a curator. Hopefully the Smithsonian. She is most excited about SILENCE after graduation. She really enjoyed making the game in her computer science class. It was really cool and it was the first time she got to have a class with all of her friends so they sat in the front row. Her favorite memories of STEM were in the mornings and other down times when seniors had time to chill in Mrs. DeLong's room and sometimes Kleibrink would play his guitar.
"Shout out to Mr. Brown for being the BEST STEM teacher. His 'straight to business' mentality and his meticulous way of teaching is fantastic. Mr. Brown you are the real MVP. Peace out, King." - Sarah Barnes
Matthew Best
Matthew Best
University of Texas at Arlington
Matthew will be attending the University of Texas at Arlington while majoring in computer science. His goal is to have acquired a bachelor's degree in 5 years and to find a sustainable career that would help him become debt-free to create a good foundation for his future endeavors. He is most excited to see what life has to offer. He is looking forward to new experiences and new people. In addition I am excited about the personal freedoms and independence he will have after graduation. His favorite project in STEM is the EDD Year long project, because it has the most amount of time invested into a project, it is the last project and it really represents what all four years of attending STEM is like. The Engineering Design and Development project really brings all the curriculum from other classes into the EDD project. His favorite memories of STEM are when they got to go out to the OLC for activities.
"I would like to thank all of my teachers as they have made an impact on helping me become the person I am today." - Matthew Best
Nicholas Bianco
Nicholas Bianco
Sam Houston State University
After spending some quality time on the lake this summer, Nicholas will be heading to Sam Houston State University where he is excited to start working towards his degree in Business Administration. Like most college students, he aspires to one day live in an apartment with his dog, making good money, and finding virtue. Nicholas met his best friends freshman year and created many long-lasting memories in STEM. One of his favorite memories was completing the Dream Bigger project in English III class with his teacher, Mrs. Williamson.
“Mrs. Williamson believed in my dream, and more importantly she believed in me” - Nicholas
Michael Binder
Michael Binder
United States Air Force Academy
Just like he has always dreamed, Michael will be attending the United States Air Force Academy and will be majoring in Astronautical Engineering. Upon graduation, Michael plans to serve in the United States Air Force. Over the years, Michael has worked diligently to acquire a multitude of advanced skills to support his further education and career choice and he is excited to begin. During his time in the STEM Academy, Michael most enjoyed researching ocean plastic, which is a passion of his, for his AP English III class. His favorite moment was conquering his very first presentation in STEM.
“Ms. Williamson thank you so much for all your support and teaching me to love reading. You made a difference in my life and I will always remember you.” - Michael
Macen Brown
Macen Brown
Macen will be entering the work force after graduation. He looks forward to attending college in the near future. He would like to pursue a career in Aeronautical Engineering and serving as a pilot in the U.S. Navy.
My favorite memory of STEM will always be EDD because we were able to have more freedom and control over what we did for the project. I also enjoyed being able to use Inventor more in order to design the parts we needed.
“I would like to thank Ms. Goodwin, Ms. Carrier, Mr. Brown, Ms. Williamson, Mrs. Delong, Ms. Mitias, Mr. Hladky, Coach Herrick and Franco because they all helped me achieve the goals I strived for during my high school career, as well as be there for any questions or guidance I needed. " - Macen
Carlos Cervantes
Carlos Cervantes
Universal Technical Institute
Carlos is excited to experience some freedom and explore! He even wants to potentially move back to his hometown of Chicago or Arizona ... but Texas still made the list! The projec that he will never forget is the EDD project because everyone was focused on their own solution but still supporting each other through challenges. His best memory is eating seven pizzas with friends Gage, Cade and Alexis.
"I would like to thank Ms.Williamson and Ms. DeLong for always cheering me up and being there for me." - Carlos Cervantes
Logan Dattola
Logan Dattola
Texas A&M University
Logan will be leaving after graduation for Army National Guard boot camp. He plans to attend Texas A & M to pursue a degree in Atmospheric Sciences. He has a goal to one day become a storm chaser and work as a Meso-Meteorologist.
His favorite memories in STEM are the OLC days, especially the Zombie Apocalypse year and his favorite STEM project was passion project his junior year. He cooked so many different cultural meals and with each one he learned not only more about cooking but more about many different cultures.
“I would love to thank Mrs.Garrett for having been there all 4 of my STEM years. She has been the teacher that I could always talk to, have fun with, and if I needed help with work I could ask for it. “ - Logan
Aiden Devlin
Aiden Devlin
Texas A&M University
After graduation, Aiden will be enrolling at Texas A&M University to pursue a degree in Aerospace Engineering. He hopes to earn his Master's Degree and continue to studies in Aerospace. Aiden is most excited about meeting new people and exploring new locations. His best STEM memory is the rocket project, where his team had to be innovative and problem solve but were able to "see the fruits of their labor" on launch day. Any STEM project that required building in the shop and teamwork were the most memorable.
"I would like to thank Mrs. Morrissey for being both an awesome calculus teacher but also the coach for the math related UIL Academics teams for 2 years, since she devoted lots of her time to both." - Aiden Devlin
Bowen Devlin
Bowen Devlin
Texas A&M University
After graduation, Bowen is heading to Texas A&M to study computer science. His goal is to work at a large tech company - hopefully Google! Bowen is most excited about learning new things. His favorite project includes the rocket design and being able to launch their final product - the skills learned working with so many different people is one that he will never forget. Bowen remembers fondly building the toy car in Inventor becase of the challenge and excitement when he was able to put it all together.
"I would like to thank Ms. Williamson for being so understanding and helpful whenever I needed help with essays or other projects." Bowen Devlin
Cade Duke
Cade Duke
OSU or Arkansas
Cade wants to get out of Texas. He plans on attending OSU or Arkansas in the fall. He will be studying Engineering ... Mechanical, Electrical or Chemical ... something that ends in "ical"! He is excited about "The world after High School." In 5 years, Cade plans on being a successful Engineer who’s established himself. When asked what project he enjoyed the most, Cade wrote "The cube project from Freshman year. It was the first time I’ve really had to help with the short comings of my teammates. From Gage not being able to keep the parts the right way to Taiga not being able to glue and sand straight." Cades favorite STEM memory was being able to meet his awesome friend group who has changed his life for the better.
"I’d like to thank all my teachers for the experience and growth they have allowed me to gain and pushing me to strive for greatness. " - Cade Duke
Alex Dyer
Alex Dyer
Business Owner
After graduation Alex is heading to Oklahoma to start a bed and breakfast with his family. Alex plans to attend college after a few years of working to build the business with his parents. He is most excited about freedom and exploring a new state. His favorite project was the train project in IED because of the limitations and customization students were able to do. Alex has fond memories of the zoo field trip and the fun times they had at the Fort Worth Zoo.
"I want to thank Ms. Hendrix for putting up with us!" Alex
Diego Gomez
Diego Gomez
NCTC Community College
Diego will be attending NCTC Community College. He looks forward to living on his own and pursuing his career through school.
Her favorite memory in STEM is fish camp and his enjoyed the Aerospace I Rocket project the most.
“Mrs.Carty, she is always supportive and is someone you can talk to about anything." - Diego
Benjamin Grafton
Benjamin Grafton
Tarrant County College
Ben has plans to attend TCC in the fall, and focus on Welding. After graduation, he is excited about spending more time with friends. When asked about his favorite PBL in the STEM Academy, Ben wrote "the golden year rocket surgery" ... you'll have to ask him about that, for more details! Ben's favorite memory from STEM was "Rocket Launch Day".
Ben would like to thank "Ms. Hendrix for being the mad scientist teacher that you can only find in cartoons, and being there for me when times were hard."
James Grice
James Grice
Wichita State University
James hopes to get to Florida after graduation, before going on to study Aerospace Engineering at Wichita State University. He is most excited about getting to go to college, after graduation. In 5 years, he plans on being happy ... it doesn't matter where ... just as long as he is happy. When asked what project in STEM that he enjoyed the most, James wrote "Building our rocket last year, it’s just such a special memory that is unmatched. Be it launch day, or any other day in the building process, it was a less stressful time." His favorite memory in STEM was the first OLC Field Trip ... it seems so long ago.
"I want to thank Mrs. Williamson, her class junior year made that year so much more bearable." - James Grice
Jack Groves
Jack Groves
Texas Tech University
Jack will be attending Texas Tech University. He will be studying Mechanical Engineering. He would like to work for Lockheed Martin or Bell.
My favorite memory of STEM will always be creating Palermo's Patio for my Eagle Project. It was a great leadership experience, but most memorable was seeing the faces of my teachers while they stood on the patio remembering their friend. I am glad that I was able to help make that vision a reality. I also enjoyed Aerospace 1 Rocket Project because it was great to see the rocket come together and launch at the contest.
“Coach Russell, Coach Barnes, Coach Connelly, and Coach Kiser: Thank you for always believing in me and pushing me to be my best. Coach Compher: Thank you for your support and faith in my ability. Mrs. Garrett: Thank you for making me believe in myself. Mrs. Hendrix: Thanks for putting up with me. Mrs. Helmick: Thank you for your support and the opportunities that you afforded me." - Jack
Samuel Harper
Samuel Harper
Texas Tech University
For his next challenge to conquer, Sam will be heading to Texas Tech University to obtain a degree and career in Mechanical Engineering. In the field of engineering, he hopes to find happiness and is challenged to find innovative and creative solutions. Before heading off to become a Red Raider, he plans to relax this summer break, where there will be no summer reading assignments or stress. Despite the workload, Sam has several fond memories from his time in STEM. He had the most fun on the Zoo Field Trip and thoroughly enjoyed completing The Zoo Project. This was his favorite project because it was where he first interacted with 3D printers and his team “knocked it out of the park” with their final model.
Sam would like to thank Ms. Morrissey “for being a fantastic calculus teacher for three years of my life, and keeping my awake during her class.”
Jacqueline Hernandez
Jacqueline Hernandez
Jackie plans to be in a nursing program after she decides which college to attend. Her goal is to eventually become a registered nurse. Jackie is most excited about the new experiences and people she will meet after graduation. Her favorite memory in STEM was when she spent the day with everyone at the OLC.
“I would like to thank all of my teachers for supporting me throughout the years.” -Jackie
Abigail Hogan
Abigail Hogan
Tarrant County College
This fall, Abby will be going to Tarrant County College - South Campus to fulfill her dreams of being an architect. She can't wait to get to college, and start her new road to success. Abby's favorite STEM PBL was the "Zoo Project" because she learned and used many different valuable skills. Her favorite STEM memory was going to the theater (Freshman year) to see the movie "Hidden Figures".
Abby would like to thank "Mr. Cho and Mr. Boulet for marching band and making it an experience I’ll remember throughout my life".
Le Huang
Le Huang
University of Texas at Arlington
Le is planning to attend the University of Texas at Arlington after graduation and major in Architectural or Structural Engineering. . She is excited at how independent she can be in her new and challenging environment. Les’ favorite project was the passion project because it allowed her to conduct thorough research on colleges and careers. She learned a lot from this project and feels it will help her in the future. This project was the first and largest project she did after her return back to STEM, which ended in good results. Her favorite times in STEM are all the times we got together. However, her most memorable time was Women in STEM day because she appreciated the environment teachers set up at the OLC and the stories she heard from all the great women in STEM fields.
“I want to then Mrs. Carrier for supporting me in my English and confirming my effort. I also want to thank Mrs. Goodwin for saying my name wrong my entire freshman year (actually I enjoyed the friendly relationship between us). I want to thank Mrs. Garrett for introducing me to engineering, as well as Mrs. DeLong for evoking my passion of civil engineering and architecture. Of course, I also want to thank Mrs. Helmick for her support all these years, especially for letting me come back to this wonderful family.” - Le Huang
Brandon Isom
Brandon Isom
University of Texas at Arlington
Brandon is heading to UTA to study Aerospace Engineering. He hopes to work for Lockheed Martin after graduation and continue to explore aeronautical engineering. Brandon is most excited about the freedom that comes with attending college and hopes that he meets new people at UTA. His favorite projects were those that included using the 3D printer or laser cutter.
Brandon wants to thank Mr. Brown for being awesome.
Alexis Jaramillo
Alexis Jaramillo
Kilgore College
Alexis will be attending Kilgore College in the fall of 2020 majoring in Petroleum Engineering. He is very excited about being the first in his family to attend college. His most memorable project in STEM was the Keystone Library renovations where he had an unfortunate accident which caused him to pass out twice. A senior prank was his favorite memory of STEM. When he was a freshman, some seniors told him and a couple of his freshman friends, Gage and Cade, that the STEM conference room was a shortcut to Biology. Unfortunately for Alexis and his friends, the teachers were in a middle of the meeting when they decided to use the shortcut one day.
“I would like to thank Mrs. DeLong, because her room was always open, and she was really easy to talk to about problems or issues we had.” - Alexis
Aiden Jean
Aiden Jean
Texas Wesleyan University
Aiden is heading to Texas Wesleyan to pursue a Biology degree while continuing his wrestling career. His long-term goals include medical school and a career in the medical field. Aiden is most excited for a "fresh start" and more experiences and freedom. The rocket build and launch was his favorite project in STEM. Aiden's favorite memories are those that include the field trips to the OLC where he got to have fun with friends.
I would like to thank Coach Fresh, Coach Kirby and Coach Shields for making my wrestling career unforgettable. I am thankful for the many wrestling memories that I have made throughout my 4 years in high school. They pushed me past me limits and helped me achieve greatness. I am thankful for Coach Poe, Coach Barnes and Coach Kiser for having great influences on me on and off the field. I am thankful to be apart of history and I am thankful for all of my coaches!! - Aiden Jean
Greyson King
Greyson King
Texas Women's University
After graduation, Greyson is excited to grab something to eat with his family! He will be attending Texas Women's University in the fall and will major in Kinesiology. His goal is to earn is bachelors and then his Master's degree in Physical Therapy. Though he really enjoyed all of the projects, he is very excited about focusing on his passion of physical therapy. Greyson is anticipating all of the new experiences and new friends that he will make in college. He will never forget the close friendships that he made at NHS.
Greyson wants to thank Mrs. Candler for being supportive.
Joseph Kiraly
Joseph Kiraly
Hardin-Simmons University
Joseph is heading to Abilene to attend Hardin-Simmons University and will study biochemistry and molecular biology. He is excited to start college and plans to attend graduate school after earning his bachelor’s degree. One of Joseph’s favorite STEM memories was learning about environmental sustainability, and his favorite project was the Zoo Project “because it was cool to see how engineering was affected when constrained by the needs of animals.”
Joseph would like to thank Ms. Hendrix “for being a great teacher and keeping all her students on track.” - Joseph
Matthew Kleibrink
Matthew Kleibrink
Belmont University
Matthew will be headed to Nashville, TN to pursue his passions in the music industry. He will be attending Belmont University where he will major in Audio Production and minor in Music Business. Matthew is not sure where his next journey will lead. Matthew is excited to get the opportunity to spread his wings and see where life leads him.
His favorite memories in STEM are all of the morning conversations they had with Mrs. DeLong and his favorite project was the trebuchet project. It eventually became a class effort because none of us knew how to do it and I felt it contributed to us being a closer senior STEM class.
“I wouldn't be doing what I do without Mrs. Garrett and Ms. Williamson. Y'all are like family to me and I love y'all so much. “ - Matthew
Edwin Kvernadze
Edwin Kvernadze
Tarrant County College
Edwin will be attending Tarrant County College. He will be working to complete his degree in Computer Hardware Engineering. Morgan has goals to work as a Chemical Engineering for an alternative fuel company.
His favorite memory in STEM is all the fun field trips and the zoo project. The zoo project was one of the first big projects in STEM.
“I would like to thank all my teachers for supporting me during my high school years." - Edwin
Gavin Lane
Gavin Lane
Texas A&M University
Gavin is excited to attend Texas A&M after graduation. He is planning to major in Aerospace Engineering. He is extremely excited to start an independent life and meet new people in college at A&M. His goal is to stay in Texas and possibly work for a facility like Lockheed Martin. Gavin’s favorite memory is getting to go to NASA for aerospace and touring everywhere with the tran-sonic rocket team.
“I would like to thank Mrs. DeLong for not only teaching us, but also for preparing us for our future and caring about each of our plans and problems.” - Gavin Lane
Gage Maldonado
Gage Maldonado
U.S. Marines
Gage will be going off to Marine boot camp in the fall and will attend the University of Texas at Arlington to major in Architecture. He is excited to learn new trades, skills and jobs after graduation. His goals are to be CEO of his own company after he receives his degree. His favorite project in STEM has been the Engineering Design and Development project. His favorite memories of STEM is getting to sit with Mrs. DeLong and Ms. Williamson during class to talk about life and just communicating about projects, skills and goals.
He would like to Thank ALL of his STEM teachers.
Austin Ramey
Austin Ramey
University of Texas at Arlington
Austin will be attending the University of Texas at Arlington where he plans to pursue a degree in Computer Science. His goals after earning his degree are to be part of the new scene of technology working as a Computer Scientist for Paycom.
His favorite memory in STEM was the OLC fall field trip during his sophomore year, and his favorite project was the zoo project his freshman year in biology and engineering.
“I would like to thank Mrs. Garrett, Mrs. Williamson , Mrs. DeLong, Mr. Brown, Mr. Hladky, and Mrs. Hendrix for their support during my four years in STEM.”- Austin
Bailey Rapert
Bailey Rapert
Texas A&M Commerce
Bailey will be attending Texas A&M Commerce on a full Merit Scholarship this fall. She plans to major in Industrial Engineering with a minor in Biological Sciences. Her goal after college is to attend the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. Bailey is most excited about being able to make a difference in people’s lives. Her most enjoyable project memory was using Inventor to bring her Zoo Project model to life! She will miss the Fall Festival activities at the OLC because they are her favorite memories.
“Thank you to everyone, honestly. Mr. Brown, for believing in my potential when I couldn’t quite see it, Mrs. Garrett for the support in my crazy EDD project, Mrs. Williamson, for supporting my crazy schemes, Mrs. DeLong, for wanting me to be a whole person, and Mrs. Helmick, for expecting the best out of me.” -Bailey
Shane Schnaidt
Shane Schnaidt
University of Texas at Arlington
Shane will attend the University of Texas at Arlington and major in architectural engineering. As a college freshman, he will strive to “figure out how to adult properly” and begin to prepare for a future career at an architectural engineering firm. One of Shane’s favorite STEM experiences was meeting his classmates as a freshman and getting to know them during the rest of his high school career. While working with his STEM classmates, Shane particularly enjoyed the Trebuchet Project and CEA STEM Building.
Shane shared this parting “thank you” message to his teachers: “Mrs. Delong and Mrs. Williamson for being there to life coach all of us and to spend time with us individually. They helped me decide what career I'd pursue and where I'd want to go after high school.” - Shane
Julien Smith
Julien Smith
Missouri University of Science & Technology
Julien is heading to Missouri S&T to continue his basketball career. He will be majoring in architectural engineering and business. Julien has goals of playing basketball internationally after college before beginning his "other" career.
His favorite memory in STEM was going to see "Hidden Figures" in the theater during Freshman Year and his favorite project was the joint English and Civil Engineering/Architecture Character Design project.
"I would like to thank Coach Edwards and Mrs. Helmick for pushing me and believing in me over the last 4 years. I would also like to thank Mrs. DeLong for always having my back and helping me out when I needed help. I would like to thank all my teachers for giving me their time and allowing me to grow over these 4 years." - Julien
Morgan Smith
Morgan Smith
University of Texas at Arlington
Morgan will be attending the University of Texas at Arlington. She will be working to complete her basics at UTA then transfer to the University of Houston to complete a Degree in Chemical Engineering. Morgan has goals to work as a Chemical Engineering for an alternative fuel company.
Her favorite memory in STEM is meeting so many lifelong friends and her favorite project was the puzzle cube project in Mrs. Garrett’s IED class because even throughout the in class tournaments, not even her partner could solve their cube.
“I would like to thanks Mrs. Garrett for letting me eat lunch in her room every day since freshman year and for always being there for me to complain to even if she didn't want to listen to me whine. “ - Morgan
Branden Torres
Branden Torres
UNT or UTA
Branden plans to major in Biology. He is considering attending either University of North Texas or University of Texas at Arlington this fall. His career goal is to become a successful surgeon so he can give back to his family. He is looking forward to the new experiences after graduation. Branden’s most memorable project in STEM was the Zoo Project. He enjoyed being able to conduct the majority of his research at the zoo. His favorite STEM memory was when he dissected a baby shark in Biology.
“I would like to thank Mr. Brown and Mrs. Garrett because they helped me along the way and were amazing teachers to have.” – Branden Torres
Ryan Torres
Ryan Torres
Texas A&M - College Station
Ryan will be attending Texas A&M in College Station and major in Engineering. Presenting was one of his fondest memories in STEM. However, he will miss the Rocket Launch in STEM the most, but is excited to see what college has in store for him. After his years in College Station he plans to graduate and start working for the US government. When looking back at the teachers that helped him through high school, he wants to thank the following teachers for supporting him in the last 5 years of school, "Mr. Brown, Mrs. Garrett, and Mr. Harris”- Ryan
Joe Trapnell
Joe Trapnell
University of Texas at Arlington
Joe is planning to attend the University of Texas at Arlington and double majoring in aerospace and mechanical engineering. His goal is to work for Lockheed Martin after college. He is most excited about the engineering clubs and extra curricular activities college has to offer. His most memorable project in STEM is the transonic rocket in aerospace II. His favorite memory is going to NASA with his aerospace team to present their work.
"I want to thank Mrs. DeLong because we used to talk every Tuesday and Thursday morning about what was going on in school and in my life. She has just always been there for me even when I didn't have her as a teacher. I knew I could always go to her about anything and everything." Joe Trapnell
Jonathan Villanueva
Jonathan Villanueva
University of Texas at Arlington
Jonathan will be attending the University of Texas at Arlington. He will be majoring in Anthropology then transfer to the University of Texas at Austin to work towards his goal of becoming an Intellegence Officer in the United States Air Force and be stationed in Japan or Asia.
His favorite memory in STEM is meeting so many new friends and his favorite project was the train project in Mrs. Garrett’s IED class because of the autonomy Mrs. Garrett gave his group. He modeled his train after Enemy of the Gates, and would do the project again if he could.
“Ms.Williamson, she helped to push me in a unique direction with my passion project. She had us working on our passion project where I learned about research and video making. The process was super fun and a little nerve racking with a deadline needing to be met, but in the end I gave one of my best presentations and learned the YouTube process. " - Jonathan
Rachel Westmoreland
Rachel Westmoreland
University of Texas at Arlington
Rachel can not wait to attend the University of Texas at Arlington after graduation and major in Architecture on her ACE scholarship. Rachel is extremely excited about being on her own, starting a new life with new friends and new experiences. Her goals are to earn a masters degree in Architecture from UTA and work in a major architecture firm. Her favorite project in STEM was her junior year in her Civil Engineering & Architecture class when they did a cross curricular project with English. The project was the one where they had to design a house for a main character in their banned book in english. Although she remembers being stressed because it was the first real model she had done, it was definitely the project she was most proud of from her STEM years. Her favorite STEM memory is banquet freshmen year. That was the year her class all came together to have fun and celebrate the year and most everyone in STEM was there.
I would like to thank Mrs. DeLong, I mean I always tell people how she is such a mentor and second mom to me, she has been there for me throughout school and all my personal troubles. I also want to thank Mrs. Helmick for putting up with us all these years as well as all the other amazing STEM teachers." - Rachel Westmoreland
Sakina Zaki
Sakina Zaki
University of Texas at Arlington
Sakina is excited to attend the University of Texas at Arlington after graduation and major in Architectural Engineering. She hopes to graduate in 5 years and pursue her masters in Architectural Engineering, while starting her career at a firm and working her way up in the company. She is excited be close to home while she goes to college with her friends and learn about a topic she loves. Her favorite memory in STEM is the Dream House project and the character crib because it really showed her how it might feel to be an architect. She loved the feeling of designing, building a house and seeing her accomplishment when she presented. She wants to keep that feeling and experience it again in the future when she presents her first design as an architect. Sakina's favorite memory of STEM is before senior year, STEM fish camp when all fo the senior's were helpers and gathered together in a circle during lunch and we just talked, played games, joked around and enjoyed each others company. That is when she really felt that they had become a STEM family and she was really going to miss everyone of her classmates. She loved getting to spend her senior year mornings in Mrs. DeLong's room as those were the highlights of her morning.
"Thank you to all the STEM teachers. All of the STEM teachers have been an amazing support group for me. Each teacher individually has helped me so much throughout my four years. However, if I had to pick one then Ms. Williamson has been a major person in my life. I can't even remember how many times she has helped me and pushed me to do better and be better. Thank You Ms. Williamson for your guidance and support as well as being my rock when I needed it." - Sakina Zaki
Brett Zubritski
Brett Zubritski
Automotive Industry
Brett plans to become an automotive mechanic. He is most excited about getting a job and living on his own after graduation. His favorite STEM project was his Aerospace rocket. He feels that it really tested the abilities of his team. Brett’s favorite memory of STEM was in Mr. Brown’s Principles of Engineering class. He had several of his long-time time friends in the class, but after his sophomore year ended, they moved away.
“Miss Williamson was by far one of the more supportive teachers I've ever seen, not just for myself but for our entire class.” -Brett Zubritski -
Graduation on "Big Hoss"
Graduation on "Big Hoss"
What a way to graduate! The Class of 2020 literally "crossed the finish line" at Texas Motor Speedway on May 26, 2020 with their family watching from a safe distance in their parked cars. No worries though - "Big Hoss" (the world's largest HD screen) showed the graduates walking the stage, receiving their diploma and crossing the finish line for all to see. The ceremony was also broadcast live for friends and family that were unable to attend.
It wasn't the way the ceremony was planned but it sure was one for the record books. No other class from Northwest High School will be able to say that they graduated at Texas Motor Speedway! And... we are pretty sure that Mr. Brown will never T-pose again! :)
Congratulations to all of our graduates! We wish you all of the luck and successes that you deserve. Once a STEMer, Always a STEMer.
End of Year Awards
End of Year Awards
The Year We Went Virtual
The Year We Went Virtual
Since we were unable to have a end of year banquet this year, our awards had to be given out virtually which was a bit anticlimactic. But congratulations are definitely in order for all of these fabulous students - we are so proud of the growth you showed this year! Each of the awardees received a personal email with their certificate and a note of Congratulations!
STEM Council Officers Announced
STEM Council Officers Announced
Each spring the STEM Council Officers are named for the upcoming year. This year, those announcements were virtual (along with a lot of other things...) through personal emails and social media posts. We are excited for an awesome 2020-21 school year!
Congratulations to our new officers! Are you interested in being part of STEM Council? We would love for you to join us ... think of STEM Council like a student council but for STEM! Our officers lead meetings, plan events, and work with the booster club to ensure we have a great year in STEM.
President: Niki H.
Vice President: Isabella F. & Mitchell L.
Secretary: Anna M.
Treasurer: Chiamaka A.
Historian: Kalie Sorrells
Public Relations: Anna B. & Alyssa H.
Senior Rep: Michael B. & Katrina H.
Junior Rep: Aubri K. & Austin L.
Sophomore Rep: Ridwan D., Alex E. & Tessie R.
Freshman Rep: Coming Soon- Fall 2020
Summer Reading
Summer Reading
The STEM Academy teachers are shaking things up in the summer reading department!
The STEM Academy teachers are shaking things up in the summer reading department!
Our 9th grade students will continue reading The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey. This book is a great read and helps students learn how to manage their time and actions for success.
Our 10th grade students will be reading Dream Differently by Vince Bertram, the CEO of PLTW. We are excited to use this text to help engage our students (and parents!) in great discussions about how to think forward to the future.
The 11th grade students will be reading Grit by Angela Duckworth. This book is an in depth look at how having passion and persevering helps students achieve success.
Last but not least, our seniors are taking on the first summer reading for STEM Seniors, Cradle to Cradle. Our students will be embarking on an exciting journey next year as our first group to take PLTW EDD (Engineering Design & Development) and the summer reading book will support that course through design and innovation.
All of the summer reading books will have discussion elements and assignments in multiple STEM courses starting in the Fall. Students should check their email to find our more about the summer assignments. We are excited about the conversations that these new reads will start with our students and parents! Join us as we read these new books, discuss their importance on our lives and share our pathway to success!
Stay "in the know" by following our official social media accounts!
Stay "in the know" by following our official social media accounts!
Page updated
Report abuse