This STEM Manifesto was created by Caitlin Bowen from Genesee Valley Central School during the Educating STEM series.

PCS science students’ success began in February at the PCS Science Fair Exhibition: Best in Show was awarded to Zach Carlson’s project titled “The Material that Built America.” Mariah Bloise’s “From the Fryer to your Fuel Tank” won 1st place; Darienne Slocum’s “Polymers and Drug Delivery System” won 2nd place; and Grant Milne’s “We need Mortar Power” won 3rd place. Top honorable mentions were awarded to the following students: Colin Kloc, Lydia Lukomski, Ryan Kent, Ronnie Lott, Matt Weimer, and Anna Wray.

Next stop: Onondaga College, Syracuse. Winning students participated in the state-level Ying Tri-Region Science and Engineering Fair. Awards included: Zach Carlson “Honors Award”; Matt Weimer “Applied Chemistry Award”; Ryan Kent “Highest Honors, 6th Place Overall”; Darienne Slocum “US Navy Award”; “Runner up for $20,000 Scholarship to Onondaga College”; and “High Honors of Science Award”; Ronnie Lott “Highest Score in Cattaraugus Award”; “Science Award”; “Highest Honors of Science Award”; Mariah Bloise “$20,000 Scholarship for STEM Excellence to Onondaga College”;  “High Honors of Science Award”; and Grant Milne “High Honor Army Award”; “Excellence in Use of Metric System”; “International Professional Engineers Award.”

Maryann Page, Associate Professor of Biology at Onondaga College, complimented PCS students: “I want to congratulate PCS students on the strong showing at the Ying Science Fair.”

Next stop: St. Bonaventure University. SBU hosted its first Regional Science Fair. Three-dozen students from five area high schools competed. PCS’s Darienne Slocum’s “Polymers and Drug Delivery System” took 1st place. Slocum tested the capability of gel beads to absorb and retain common medicines, which could be beneficial in developing delivery systems for medicines based on their ability to slowly release drugs into the body.

Next stop: Alfred State College Regional Science and Technology Fair. Nine local school districts participated: a total of fifty-nine science and technology projects were on display for judging. Winners in the senior division:  Ronnie Lott’s “Blue Blood” won 1st place; Ryan Kent’s “Redox Raft” won 2nd place; Darienne Slocum’s “Polymers and Drug Delivery” won 3rd place, and Zach Carlson’s “The Material That Built America” won the Grand Prize!

Last stop: Jamestown Community College: Cattaraugus Campus. PCS science fair students were honored for their participation in the Ying Tri-Region Science and Engineering Fair. US Rep. Tom Reed attended the reception to present Congressional Commendation certificates. The following students received certificates: Mariah Bloise, Zach Carlson, Ryan Kent, Ronnie Lott, Grant Milne, Darienne Slocum, and Matt Weimer.

Congratulations to all of the young PCS scientists and engineers; job well done.

In addition to Science Fair success at PCS, the high-school science department faculty has earned some high accolades from Business First, 2014 WNY Science Department Ranking: PCS placed 31st out of 136 high schools in WNY. Robert Stives, chemistry, physics, and SUPA Forsensics teacher, was awarded a Business First Teacher of Merit Award.

 

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” Benjamin Franklin

Distance Learning, Blended Learning, Online Learning...just some of the names we use in the region to describe virtual learning.  The Distance Learning team is always busy working with students and teachers.  Check out this infographic: https://infograph.venngage.com/p/19994/what-is-up-in-distance-learning_

PCS 6th-grade students entered this year’s national 2014 Popcorn Pep Club Contest and WON FIRST PLACE; the GRAND PRIZE is $2,500!

PCS entered a video showcasing the 6th grade popcorn project. Teachers, students, and administrators alike appeared in the video with scripted scenes and a carefully timed lip-sync at the end.  The school used popcorn across disciplines including: Home and Careers: recipe research, creation, and taste test; Art: drawings of mascot “Poppy” and popcorn short story books; ELA: poetry, poems, short skits, alliteration, jokes; Science: conduction experiment, convection explanation, example of transference, radiation; Social Studies: research popcorn history, classification, cultivated corn in history, popularity of popcorn in the past and present using fun facts. The students finished with lip-sync music video and anti-bullying message. 

Some of the 6th-grade students stated the following about their success: “I love how the projected connected to all the subjects”; “I really liked making the Panthers Popping for Popcorn books-artistic and fun”; “I enjoyed helping each other out when we were filming the video”;  “I (we) loved gathering around the PCS Panther outside because it showed our school spirit.”

Congratulations 6th grade. What an amazing accomplishment! “Pop on!”

Check out the video on Portville Central School’s website!

Whether they were participating in Driver’s Education or attending Summer School at one of the three CA BOCES sites, many of our students found themselves engaged in learning over the summer.  The numbers can speak for themselves.   At the Salamanca Summer School site, we had 254 students enrolled in classes and 341 students registered to take one of the August Regents Exams.  At the Wellsville Summer School site, we had 195 students enrolled in classes and 188 students registered to take one of the August Regents Exams.  At the Cuba Summer School site, we had 83 students enrolled in classes and 95 students registered to take one of the August Regents Exams.  Driver’s Education instructor’s operated out of 15 district sites and helped 377 students learn the rules of the road.

We would like to thank all of the Summer School teachers and Driver’s Education instructors for their desire and dedication in helping all of our students fulfill their academic obligations.  Please contact us if you have any questions or need future assistance.  We are always striving to make our summer student programs the best that they can be!