SUNY Maritime College's Inaugural STEM Academy - with Baltimore & NYC Maritime Focused High Schools
State University of New York Maritime College’s Inaugural STEM Academy (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) Brings Select Group of High School Students from Baltimore & NYC Maritime Industry Focused High Schools Together
When 20 high school students from the New York City and Baltimore City public high schools get back to school for the fall semester, they’ll have plenty to talk about when their friends ask them: What did you do on your summer vacation?
The select group of boys and girls from the New York City public high school, The Urban Assembly New York Harbor School (located on Governor’s Island) and the Baltimore City public high school, the Maritime Industries Academy High School, were selected by their principals and teachers to attend a week-long “Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Academy” at the State University of New York (SUNY) Maritime College’s campus, held in August.
During this intensive, one-week program, the Baltimore and New York City students studied together in the College classrooms, lived in the College dormitories, learned to navigate a ship using SUNY Maritime College’s computerized video simulators, discovered the principles of science in the College’s chemistry labs, kayaked and learned on-the-water skills. “What a tremendous experience for these young people,” noted SUNY Maritime College President Admiral Wendi B. Carpenter, USN (Ret.). The students themselves spoke highly of the program noting: "I liked everything about this program!"; "The whole program is awesome" and "I thought the leadership classes were good." As for future improvements -"I would like to see more hands-on activities"... "More waterfront activities! and, "I'd like more kayaking!"
The week ended with a graduation program that included Power-Point presentations by the New York City and Baltimore Maritime Industries Academy students who stood before an audience in the SUNY Maritime College lecture hall and discussed the boats that they designed, named and tested for floatation, in the college pool. The graduation ceremony was well attended by SUNY Maritime College faculty and staff as well as dignitaries that included Murray Fisher, President of the New York Harbor School Foundation, Baltimore Maritime Industries Academy Principal Dorian Barnes and Baltimore Maritime Industries Academy Board members: Richard Fredrick’s, Executive Director, American Salvage Association; Clay Maitland, founding chairman, NAMEPA – North American Marine Environment Protection Association and Carleen Lyden-Kluss, Morgan Marketing & Communications. Also in attendance at the graduation ceremony were: New York State Senator Velmanette Montgomery; a representative from the New York City Mayor's Office of Youth and Community Development and leaders from the New York City business and maritime industries.
SUNY Maritime College President Wendi B. Carpenter, USN (Ret.) presented certificates to each student and congratulated them on their achievements and spoke of the importance of strengthening S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering and math) programs for middle and high school students.
Caption: SUNY Maritime College president Rear Admiral Wendi B. Carpenter, USN (Ret.) with S.T.E.M. students from Baltimore City’s Maritime Industries Academy High School and New York City’s Urban Assembly New York Harbor School. Both are public high schools with a maritime-focused curriculum. The students proudly display two of the “ships” that they designed, built and floated as part of their studies at SUNY Maritime College.