Fisher-Strickland Chapter of National Junior Honor Society Inducts 2017 Members

The 2017 inductees and current NJHS members.

On Thursday, March 9, 2017, the DSSS chapter of the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS), the Fisher-Strickland Chapter, inducted its new members for 2017. Eighth grade language arts and engineering teacher, Mandi Schultz, was the guest speaker for the night. Ms. Schultz explained to the students that they were the leaders of the school and serve as role models for their peers. "These students have done over 809 hours of community service collectively and 78 A's as a group, which is very impressive," explained Ms. Schultz.

Mrs. Murakami then explained the selection process the students went through in order to receive an invitation to join. The process included having straight A's, as well as demonstrated service and leadership characteristics.

The following students were inducted by Superintendent Fisher:
8th Grade: Riana Chen, Kyle Eskew, Avi Patel
7th Grade: Ben Hughes, Chloe Kuntz, Madalein Logan, Ally Miller, Rebekkah Mobley, David Noel, Rilo Oberg, John Wright

Principal Strickland closed the evening by congratulating the students on their achievements and invited them to celebrate their achievements with their families.

Congratulations to all of our students, and we look forward to seeing what you do during the course of your time at DRSS and beyond!

The following pictures from the event were taken by Pooja Shirahatti.

 

Students Shine a Light on Slavery

Mollie Emrick, one of the End It Movement organizers, stands next to the sign advertising "Shine a Light on Slavery Day"

By Chloe Johnson

March 2, 2017

Life is full of important movements for change and freedom. Several ninth graders have made it their mission to create awareness in the DRSS community about the hidden world of modern day slavery. According to a CNN article, in January of 2015, “The second annual edition of the Walk Free Foundation's Global Slavery Index has found that globally, almost 36 million people are subject to modern slavery.”  

These statistics may have changed in the past several years. However, the problem is still out there. The End It Movement is an organization that holds an event every year to continue the conversation about how to prevent human trafficking. According to Mollie Emrick, a ninth grader who is promoting this organization, stated, “We noticed that a lot of people at our school didn’t know about it. We wanted to raise awareness to show that modern day slavery still exists.”

The significant feature of the event is the red X. People wear the red X on their hands to show their support for victims of human trafficking. Specifically, this event was on February 23, 2017, but the students commemorated it on March 2nd. Mollie stated, “They mostly wear red Xs, and they also sell clothes that are not made with the use of slavery. It has the name of the person who made the shirt on it.”  People from every country are being taken and forced into this world of uncertainty. Even close to home, there have been several reports about human trafficking being a huge problem near the I-75 and I-70 intersection.

Instead of calling this day the name of the organization, the students decided to call this event, “Shine a Light on Slavery Day.” The students made announcements, stating facts about what is happening in the hidden realm of slavery each day. Also, they encouraged students to wear red and showed statistics about modern-day slavery on the TVs located around the school.

Mollie stated, “The first step to action is awareness.” The group of ninth graders who assisted with this project include: Mollie Emrick, Kylie Sauer, Emily Ritchie, Kimberly Branham, and AJ Davis. It is inspiring to see DRSS students starting conversations about subjects that truly are not talked about enough.

Students Connect with Mostar Counterparts in International Internship Exchange

Students "hangout" (via Google) with their counterparts in Bosnia & Herzegovina in preparation for international internship exchange.

By Bri Perkins

In May of 2017, five students who currently attend (or have attended) the Dayton Regional STEM School (DRSS) will be participating in an international internship experience in Mostar, in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) this summer.

The five students are Victoria Cockrell, Gloria Campos, Bri Perkins, Austin Davis, and DRSS alumna Bethany Wilson. These students are a mix of DRSS sophomores and juniors, and Bethany is a freshman at Sinclair Community College, having graduated from DRSS in 2016. 

The students who are attending are excited about the internship. “I’m most excited about the entire thing. It is going to be really cool to go out of the country with my friends from school and gain a new experience. It will also be interesting to live in someone else’s house who are native to the country,” says Gloria Campos, a junior at DRSS. Other students, such as Bethany Wilson are “excited about furthering my education in CNC machining and leaving North America for the first time.” During the internship, students will get the chance to work with INTERA Technology Park (while in BiH) and The Entrepreneurs Center (in Dayton) to discover more about entrepreneurship and even more possibilities. For example, Victoria Cockrell might get the chance to visit a local marketing agency while in BiH.

Not only are American students getting to go to Bosnia and Herzegovina, but Bosnian and Herzegovinian students are also getting to come to Dayton. They will be staying in some of the American students’ homes, just as we will be staying in some of their homes. This allows for students from both countries to fully immerse themselves in the other culture. 

Recently, students from both the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina got the chance to meet each other via Google Hangout. The two student groups talked about what they want to do in each other’s countries, their favorite hobbies, and even their favorite colors. This was the first time the students have had the chance to meet each other. Mateo Cubela, a Bosnian and Herzegovinian student, said, “I am looking forward to going to the World A'Fair [in Dayton].” While both American and Bosnian students are in America, they hope to do things together, such as visiting the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

Editor's Note: If you are interested in helping to sponsor a trip for the visiting students from BiH during their stay in Dayton, please contact DRSS Community Outreach Director, Arch Grieve, at arch.grieve@wright.edu.

Students Have a Blast at 7th Grade Social

Students gearing up for some games during the 7th Grade Social

By Katie Jones

Last week, on the 24^th of February, the Dayton Regional STEM School (DRSS), held a social for the 7^th graders of DRSS. The social was a reward for the 7^th graders because they submitted the most ACE nominations during the 1^st semester. ACE nominations are nominations for any student or teacher who has displayed positive character. For every 50 ACE nominations a grade level submits, they receive special incentives. Examples include a theme day such as Hat Day, lunch time movie, and a special treat at lunch.

Along with these incentives, there is also the DRSS ACE Challenge. The grade level that submits the most ACE Nominations receives a large grade level incentive at the end of 1st and 2nd semester. Scores are kept track of and posted on the TV screens for students to see. There are a few rewards for winning this challenge. Similar to the prizes offered for submitting 50 ACE nominations, these include treats at lunch. There is also the possibility of having a pizza party, afterschool fun night, outside game day, grade level assembly, or a grade level talent show. In this case, the 7^th graders had a social. 

Students had fun playing a variety of games, including Jenga!

At the social, there were a variety of activities for the students to do. Video games were projected onto the walls to play, ranging from Pokémon themed to racecar driving. There were also board games that could be played, including Apples to Apples, Jenga, and other card games. Some of these games were played by a mix of 7^th graders and the volunteers for the social. 

Students played video games on the walls of the school too!

But the game that most people were excited for was the dodgeball game in the fitness classroom. In total, there were 6 different teams. Each team played against a different team, with the winners going on to the next round. The overall winners were a group of seventh-grade boys.

In addition to games, the cafeteria was made into a dance space. The parent of one of DRSS’ students volunteered as DJ, keeping those who wanted to dance entertained with upbeat music. Food was also provided in the form of pizza, chips, and an assortment of soft drinks.

Overall, the social was success, and definitely an incentive for the rest of the grade levels to keep submitting ACE nominations.

Valentine's Day Visit to Ohio Statehouse Impacts Visiting Students

Students talk with Representative Butler before hand-delivering their draft legislation to him during their visit.

By Bri Perkins

On February 14, 2017, the junior class traveled to the statehouse in Columbus, Ohio to visit legislators and to hand deliver the first draft of their bill directly to Representative Butler. This is because the government class has been writing a bill to slow down or stop the spread of the heroin. The students in government are working with the students in economics to make sure the bill is fiscally responsible. Legislators will be giving feedback to the bill that the government classes wrote together. Not only are the government and economics students working hard on this project, so are the anatomy and physiology students. They are learning about how heroin and opioid addiction impact the nervous system. The juniors have been working hard to solve this problem.

The first few steps of this process, in reference to the government class, was to research the steps of the bill and various legislative information. Then, students put themselves into groups to write their own bills. The first drafts of the bills were on the topic of heroin and opioid addiction however, they varied from each other. For example, one bill was about rehabilitation inside and outside of jail, while others focused on catching heroin and opioids at mailing services using machines.

The next steps were for students to put together different aspects of each bill that worked and create one bill to propose to legislators. This process took many days as students worked together to create a bill that everyone was satisfied with. Then, students traveled to the capital to propose their bill to legislators. Before the meet with legislators, such as Representative Butler, Terence Wilcoxson, said, “I am interested in seeing the way legislators work and behave.” Terence is just one of many who got to experience, meet, and receive feedback from legislators on February 14^th.

During the meeting, students got the chance to meet two representatives and give them the draft of their bill to receive feedback. Students were also given a tour of the State House, including the Representative and Senate sides. They were also able to see where their own senators and representatives, such as Senator Lehner and Representative Butler, represent them. “It was a nice experience. The visit made me realize that being a representative at an early age was an option for me,” Carissa Ritzler, a junior, said. Not only did students learn about things that they can do now or soon, they also learned how they can improve their bill to hopefully get it passed.

A Look Behind the Scenes of Yearbook

By Katie Jones

There are many clubs made at the Dayton Regional STEM School (DRSS), and Yearbook is one that has been there from the beginning. The Yearbook staff serves as the school’s record keepers, creating the yearbook as a way to remember each school year and its students’ accomplishments. While this is an important job in itself, being a part of the Yearbook staff is a little different from other schools. At DRSS, Yearbook also counts as an elective credit.

To become a part of the Yearbook staff, each student must be either a junior or senior and complete an application that includes a paragraph on why they are suited to be in Yearbook. In addition, each student must collect two teacher recommendations. Once students are accepted, they begin working on the yearbook immediately. Each student is assigned a section in the yearbook, sometimes multiple. By creating and revising their individual sections, students gain knowledge in the areas of publishing, photography, journalism, marketing, and design. They also gain the real-world experience of marketing a product and meeting deadlines.

This year the DRSS Yearbook staff is composed entirely of juniors, all of whom are advised by Ms. Cockroft, a middle school STEM Foundations teacher. Yearbook meetings are run by the two co-editors of Yearbook, Rachael Stowe and Bri Perkins. However, those are not the only positions in Yearbook. Similar to other clubs, Yearbook has a secretary and an accountant, in charge of keeping meeting notes and tracking costs respectively. Unique to Yearbook, there is also a planner (keeps a calendar of events), main photographer (manages the photos and ensures they’re high quality), club leader (oversees creation of all club pages), grade page leader (oversees creation of all grade pages), and other pages leader (oversees creation of remaining pages). All of these positions are filled by dedicated Yearbook members, and with so many, this year’s Yearbook staff is sure to create a memorable yearbook.

DRSS 2017 Science Fair Awards and Honorees

Students who earned a Superior score at DRSS will move on to the regional competition at Central State University

Congratulations to all of the students who won awards this past weekend at our annual Science Fair competition:

- Best Technical Documentation Award (sponsored by the Wright State University English Department): Nate Koorndyk & Emma Miler (1st) and Lauren Bowling & Kenzie Lawson (2nd)

- Experimental Design Award (sponsored by the Campbell Family): Lauren Dalton (1st) and Elizabeth Worthen & Zaniel Walker (2nd)

- Ignite Award (sponsored by the Gordnier Family): Nathan Holty and Miracle Wilcoxson

- Biology Award in Life Sciences (sponsored by the Wright State University Department of Biological Sciences): Lauren Bowling & Kenzie Lawson (1st) and Nate Koorndyk & Emma Miller (2nd)

- Engineering Design Award (sponsored by the Engineers Club of Dayton): Neeti Prasad (1st), Elijah Cushman & Camron Harris (2nd), and Emilee Weir (3rd)

- The Solid Blend Technologies Best Demonstration of Sustainability Award (sponsored by Solid Blend): Sam Martin & Cameron Croake-Uleman (1st), Elizabeth Worthen & Zaniel Walker (2nd), and Lauren Bowling & Kenzie Lawson (3rd)

- American Society of Heating and Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineer’s Award (sponsored by the American Society of Heating and Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Engineers - Dayton Chapter): Neeti Prasad (1st), Lauren Bowling (2nd), and Emilee Weir (3rd)

- Exploration in Engineering Award (sponsored by University of Dayton School of Engineering): Nathan Holty (1st), Emilee Weir (2nd), and Neeti Prasad (3rd)

- Research and Development for the Common Good (sponsored by University of Dayton School of Engineering): Elizabeth Worthen & Zaniel Walker (1st) Lauren Bowling & Kenzie Lawson (2nd), and Ben Crichton & Hrishi Viswanathan (3rd)

- The Bronze Integrity Above and Beyond Award (sponsored by Integrity Applications Incorporated): Carly Rohrbach and Yue-Shan Lam (1st)

- The Silver Integrity Above and Beyond Award (sponsored by Integrity Applications Incorporated): Sam Martin and Cameron Croake-Uleman (1st) and Sarah O'Connor & Huda Maarouf (2nd)

- The Gold Integrity Above and Beyond Award (sponsored by Integrity Applications Incorporated ): Neeti Prasad (1st), Emma Miller & Nate Koorndyk (2nd), and Lauren Bowling & Kenzie Lawson (3rd)

- Congratulations to our students who received an Excellent Score: Elizabeth Worthen & Zaniel Walker, Sarah O'Connor & Huda Maarouf, Grant Shaffer & Beth Snyder, Carly Rohrbach & Yue-Shan Lam, Griffin Arnold & Victoria Cockrell, Benjamin Crichton & Hrishi Viswanathan, Athena Fretz, Alex Mercuri, Ethan Bolt, May Kelch, Rend Ghussin, and Clara Schulza

- Congratulations to our students who received a Superior Score: Nate Koorndyk & Emma Miller, Mollie Emrick & Isabela Nguyen, Elijah Cushman & Camron Harris, Lauren Bowling & Kenzie Lawson, Niels Sondergarard, Lauren Dalton, Cory Fife, Neeti Prasad, Nathan Holty, Zachary Vogt-Lowell, Lizzie Enwright, Miracle Wilcoxson, Emilee Weir, David Noel, Mason Lucas, and Sam Martin & Cameron Croake-Uleman, all of whom are moving on to regionals!