Duke Energy Foundation $40,000 Grant Supports STEM Instruction

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and the Public School Foundation are pleased to announce a $40,000 grant from Duke Energy Foundation. The funds will go toward the development and teacher training for an Inquiry and Nature-Based STEM Program to serve elementary school students in grades 3-5, beginning with a pilot at Northside Elementary School.
   
The grant was submitted by Dan Schnitzer, CHCCS Sustainability Director, in collaboration with a team from the CHCCS Instructional Services Department, in order to raise both the level of rigor and engagement in science instruction. The Institute for the Environment at UNC will design the training and curriculum in collaboration with CHCCS teachers, ensuring that the content is aligned with College and Career Readiness standards.
   
“The vision for delivering this nature-based STEM instruction capitalizes on the natural curiosity of children, combined with their immediate environment,” said Schnitzer. “Above all, the inquiry-based approach will be more successful in engaging all students in STEM. The anticipated result is deeper student interest and excitement in STEM education and the environment, leading to increased proficiency in mastering 3rd-5th grade science concepts and a closer relationship with their environment.”
   
The measurable goal of the Inquiry and Nature-Based STEM Program is to reduce non-proficiency on the Grade 5 Science Test by half over a period of five years. Dr. Elaine Watson-Grant, Director of Elementary Education, explained how the approach of this new program will better reach every student. “One key factor in meeting the needs of all students, and in particular, students from traditionally underserved groups, is participation in immersive, interdisciplinary learning experiences that build their background knowledge, develop and deepen their interests, and connect them to life outside of school. An inquiry-based approach will lead to greater student engagement, understanding and transfer of knowledge.”

“We are proud to partner with Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and the Public School Foundation to expand access to STEM programming for students and educators,” said Indira Everett, Duke Energy district manager. “Programs that foster a growing interest in STEM fields help our communities continue to grow and produce skilled workers who bring new thinking and ideas to the table.”

With an overarching goal of decreasing the achievement gap in the district, the program designers noted that there are statistically significant gains in achievement on challenging tasks among students who were taught with inquiry-based practices. Research on culturally relevant teaching practices supports the premise that hands-¬on, real-world learning activities are particularly critical for the achievement of students of color as well as students from economically disadvantaged households.
   
“We are grateful to Duke Energy Foundation for recognizing this need in our district and supporting our students with increased opportunities for STEM-based learning,” said Dr. Pam Baldwin, Superintendent of CHCCS. “We look forward to the enthusiasm and energy for science that will develop from this grant.”

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Culbreth Greenhouse Becomes a Classroom

Mohammad tended to the plants with the quiet, serene focus of a natural gardener, while Arnaud claimed, “All you need to say is it puts a smile on my face to be in the greenhouse.” They are two of the six 8th grade students in Billy Giblin’s reading class at Culbreth Middle School who have participated in an informal pilot experience that could be titled, “Learning in the Greenhouse.” Once or twice a week, they leave their traditional classroom and enter a zone of plants and light.

     

The building was installed at Culbreth in 2014 as part of the Alice Gordon Science Wing, a 14,700 square foot addition which included Solatube skylights and bamboo flooring in classrooms. The new greenhouse was advertised as being available to all Culbreth staff, but there have been relatively few teachers who have used the space since it opened.

Giblin noted that many of his students learn more efficiently and enthusiastically if they are not asked to “sit, sit, sit all the time.” The greenhouse became a focus of his re-direction toward more hands-on learning, even though, he said, “I didn’t know how to grow anything.” But the vision took shape for Giblin, and he, like his students, has learned as a novice, week by week.

     

CHCCS Sustainability Director, Dan Schnitzer, agreed to pitch in to develop ideas for greenhouse instruction, though he claimed to know little more than Giblin, who said, “Having Dan collaborate...there’s always strength in numbers.” 

He admitted that he kept asking himself, "What if nothing grows?" Fortunately, he was inspired by Superintendent Baldwin’s Convocation challenge to staff to take risks and have fun in their work with students.

     

Giblin explored various options for funding; his proposal for greenhouse learning won a competitive Whole Kids grant for $2,000. As the class jumped into gardening last fall, planting a range of greens and other vegetables, Giblin and Schnitzer chose creative additions, like an aeroponic Tower Garden, which holds up to 20 different plants in less than three square feet of space. 

     

The instructional goals covered both reading and math. Students researched and chose what plants to grow; they studied manuals to understand how equipment worked, and they calculated and measured nutrients for hydroponic and soil plantings skills. “They read seed packets,” Schnitzer said. “They read about how to price their packs of seedlings. A big goal - and I think success - was having them learn and read while doing something new, fun and productive.” 

The spring yield provided enough tomato, herb and marigold seedlings that the class was able to sell the "fruits of their labor" to staff at Lincoln Center, earning over $300. 

     

Perhaps more exciting to the Culbreth gardeners was the end-of-year opportunity to divide up seedlings and larger plants among themselves. Briana said that her mother kept asking for more cilantro, and Mohammad said that his father already gardens near their home, so he’s looking forward to integrating his own raised-from-seed vegetable plants into the family plot.

     

These 8th grade students will move on to Carrboro and Chapel Hill High next year, but Giblin already has new ideas for expanding his use of greenhouse learning, and hopefully, more students will catch the “gardening bug.”

 

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TSA Chapters Excel in STEM

Leaders of the Technology Student Association (TSA) chapters at five of our schools recently took nearly 80 students to Greensboro for two days to participate in the 39th annual NCTSA State Conference. They engaged in STEM- (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) and leadership-based competitions, and learned much in the process. They did an amazing job of representing our district's Career and Technical Education (CTE) department.

TSA chapters take the study of STEM beyond the classroom and give students the chance to pursue academic challenges among friends with similar goals and interests. 

CTE teachers serve as chapter advisors, but the student members govern the organization through chapter, state and national level officers. Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools' TSA students hold a legacy of leadership with 12 students holding an NCTSA state officer positions since 2003, with four of those as state presidents. 

Along with incubating the leaders of tomorrow, TSA is nurturing tomorrow's scientists, engineers, journalists, trades people and educators. This is evident when one looks at the awards our TSA chapters brought home from the conference. Below you will find a section for each of the five chapters in our district. Students from four of the schools are already making plans to attend the National TSA Conference in Atlanta, June 22-26, and will no doubt continue to represent our district with their talent, integrity and STEM skills on full display. 

In fact, both McDougle Middle and East Chapel Hill High TSAs will receive the Chapter Excellence Award in NCTSA for their respective school levels. The awards will be announced and received at the upcoming National TSA Conference. The advisors for both schools are extremely proud of all of their chapter members. 
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Culbreth Middle School TSA - Mike Sharp, Advisor

The Culbreth TSA chapter was new this year, and the level of involvement was amazing. They had 30 members join the team, and 13 were able to compete at the state conference. Under the guidance and leadership of officers, Yash Gupta, Xavier Van Raay, and Sebastian Malhotra, students performed at their personal best and succeeded in bringing home a total of 5 trophies.

The following students won trophies in their events:

1st place in Coding: Sebastian Malhotra and Ben Shoenbill
2nd place in Community Service Video: Sarah Stephens and Xavier Van Raay
2nd place in Promotional Marketing: Daniel Estevez
3rd place in STEM Animation: Daniel Estevez, Miles Prenda, and Yuta Tsuboi
3rd place in Tech Bowl: Xavier Van Raay, Yash Gupta, and Srinivas Iyengar
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Phillips Middle School TSA - Ryan Barnes, Advisor

Phillips Middle School TSA placed in a number of events and represented their school, district and chapter in outstanding fashion.

1st Place Structural Engineering: Kabir Grewal, Raymond Zhao
2nd Place Microcontroller Design: Ethan Bartlett, Kabir Grewal, Hanqi Xiao, Jake Boggs, Graham Troy
2nd Place Website Design: Jake Boggs, Anna Finklestein, Meilin Weathington
3nd Place Electrical Applications: Ethan Bartlett
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McDougle Middle School TSA - Redmond Grigg and Kate Major, Advisors

These young men and women worked hard, smart ,and with so much heart this year as they prepared for competition. The trophies they earned are but symbols of their consistent and forthright efforts. They resurrected and helped beautify their school's outdoor classroom. They also ran a successful campaign to raise over $1,000 for the American Cancer Society through the Relay For Life at UNC. What an amazing feat for a group that only had three returning members. 

1st Place Community Service Video: Amelia Brinson, Lula Caress, Lucas Gutierrez-Arnold, Mateo La Serna, Vincent Paquet, Sophie Ussery Intintolo
1st Place Junior Solar Sprint: Nivas Kolli, Alexis Mead
1st Place Mechanical Engineering: Nora Daley, Nivas Kolli, Katie Randolph, Noah Wegner
1st Place American Cancer Society Fundraising: Raised $1,095 through Relay For Life
2nd Place Essays on Technology: Erin Gottschalk
2nd Place Flight: Ani Yu
2nd Place Inventions & Innovations: Lars Kahn, Gabo Ochoa Samoff, Noah Wegner
2nd Place Leadership Strategies: Amelia Brinson, Lucas Gutierrez-Arnold, Lars Kahn
2nd Place Problem Solving: Diogo Gomes, Noah Wegner
3rd Place Biotechnology: Ryan Atack, Alexis Mead, Gabo Ochoa Samoff, Guillermo Vizuette
3rd Place Career Prep: Nora Daley
3rd Place Forensic Technology: Amelia Brinson, Katie Randolph
3rd Place Technical Design: Daniel Furberg, Ani Yu
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Chapel Hill High School TSA - Redmond Grigg, Advisor

While no Chapel Hill High student placed in their competitive events at the state conference, they still did an incredible job representing their chapter, school and district. All of the state officers from our district were Chapel Hill High students, including the previously mentioned four state presidents.

Kyle Halstater first joined TSA as a 6th grader at McDougle Middle School. This was Kyle's third year holding a state office as he just finished his tenure as the 2017-2018 NCTSA State President. 

Angel Koshy will carry on the tradition of leadership as the 2018-2019 NCTSA State Reporter. She's held chapter officer positions during middle and high school, frequently serving as a mentor to younger newer members. 

Jillian Breithaupt served two years as a state officer, and as the 2016-2017 NCTSA State President, she helped to revive the NCTSA Fall Leadership Rally as a means of cultivating future state officers and leaders in TSA. 
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East Chapel Hill High School TSA - Pat Pudlo, Advisor

East Chapel Hill's TSA had semifinalists (top 12) in 13 events, and for the first time in this chapter's history, two students, Gabe Valera and Mike Pudlo, ran for state officer positions.

2nd Place Coding: Andy Farkas, Ravi Pitelka, Joseph Ahrendsen
2nd Place CAD 3D: Tarun Goyal
3rd Place Video Game Design: Andy Farkas, Ravi Pitelka
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Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools TSA wishes to thank CTE DIrector Kathi Breweur for her staunch and unwavering support for TSA in our district! Our TSA chapters grow and flourish as a direct result of Kathi's support and guidance for CTE teachers and students alike. Kathi's belief in the power and opportunities student organizations like TSA provide CTE students, makes her an exemplary leader.

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Mustang Math

McDougle Middle School knows how to have a great time! Recently, 119 of teacher Mary Patricia Peres-da-Silva's Compacted Math students held a Math Fair complete with food trucks and cool STEM activities.

 There were 115 different projects set up all over the school. Here is a sampling of the amazing work being demonstrated:

 - Carlos Merida created a robotic arm from scratch that moved and lifted objects.
 - Andrew Herring and his sister, Ava, programmed spheros to go over truss bridges that they built.
 - Sydney Lin programmed a machine to play tunes from Mobius strips.
 - Jane Rydin and Madden Rutherford coded their Makey Makey kits and used bananas to turn it into a piano board.
 - Mia Oliaro created photon flowers that lit up when the circuit was complete with lemon juice.
 - Cogan McMichael flew his drone and showed the audience how they could find missing people using a coordinate mat and the drone camera.
 - Ana Payst made a Rube Goldberg machine that used a marble to trigger other components that ultimately led to a plant getting watered.
 - Alair Rojas constructed a truss bridge with straws and popsicles, and engineered it to hold more than 70 pounds of weight.
 - Rishi Patel created his maze with tunnels and learned how to program his sphero to go through it.

 Many thanks to Mrs. Peres-da-Silva and the entire Mustang team who made this event possible.

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Cisco Networking Academy Offers Opportunity

If you ask most parents and students in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools about the Cisco Networking Academy courses for high school students, unfortunately you’ll hear, “Cisco What?” But if Jennifer Walker and her colleagues at Chapel Hill High have their way, the pathways within the Academy of Information Technology (AOIT) will soon be recognized throughout the district - and beyond. Walker is both passionate and tireless in her work with Cisco NetAcad, and to hear her talk about current and future projects is to recognize she’s barely gotten started as a mentor and teacher.
   
Within a couple years, labor analysts in the U.S. predict there’ll be over one million more tech jobs than qualified applicants to fill them. And the salary for many of these tech jobs? Often in the $80,000 to $110,000 range. It’s surprising that more high school students aren’t standing in line to enroll in these information technology (IT) pathways.
   
How are Chapel Hill High’s AOIT and Cisco Networking Academy courses laying foundations for students to join the ranks of the “quickly employed” tech workers? Students can now choose two Cisco course pathways, either CET (computer engineering technology) or NET (network engineering technology). Upon completion of the specialized courses in either pathway, students can sit for rigorous and prestigious industry certifications before graduating from high school. The district will even pay for one certification exam voucher for each student.     
     
The AOIT is housed at Chapel Hill High, but it’s open to all CHCCS high school students who can travel from their home schools to take the academy classes. The Cisco Networking Academy is an international training program accessible through universities, community colleges, and some high schools. It provides the curriculum and hands-on lab experiences for students, as well as resources to deliver and extend IT training for instructors.  From this framework, Walker provides students with an ever-growing range of activities, information about opportunities to apply skills outside the classroom, and she works with AOIT to provide internships. Cisco's IT Essentials in the Computer Engineering courses provides training in hardware, software, and troubleshooting skills, while preparing students for CompTIA A+ certification. Cisco's CCNA (Certified Cisco Network Associate) Routing and Switching curriculum is used in the Network Engineering courses, training students in the process of data transmission, network design, device configuration, and troubleshooting, while preparing students for the Cisco CCENT (Certified Cisco Entry Networking Technician) and CCNA certifications.
     
Walker teaches all of the Computer Engineering and Network Engineering courses at Chapel Hill High, and her enthusiasm about the Cisco curriculum and its enduring benefits to students is apparent in the first few minutes of conversation. She’s a true believer, based on more than fifteen years in the IT field, as well as ten years in previous instructional positions. The keyword for her is “Opportunity,” and she loves to reel off the many opportunities students can pursue to sharpen their networking and engineering skill sets.
     
Earning one or both of the “certs” by graduation is the crown jewel of Cisco NetAcad participation, but all of the students who complete one of the pathways are well-qualified to work in IT, right out of high school. In this district, as Walker notes, most students will continue to a four year university, but some NetAcad graduates pursue classes at community colleges, or take their skills into the military. “Even without the certs, by completing these courses, students can transfer their skill sets into any profession,” said Walker.
     
“Cisco Networking Academy is a very useful program that teaches you a lot about computer engineering and networking,” said Dhruv Patel, who’s currently taking both Computer Engineering 2 and Networking Engineering 1. “Paired with the lab work Ms.Walker sets up, it prepares you for the CompTIA A+ and the CCENT certifications and gives you skills for practical use, at home and on the job.”
     
Walker’s students frequently take advantage of service-learning opportunities, both in-district and in the community. “I say to them all the time, Use your skills for good.”
     
This year, she and Darren Bell, manager of the CHCCS Community Connection Program, have collaborated to create the Tiger Tech Squad with more than 35 of Walker’s students. The Squad will soon operate as a Chromebook service depot, beginning with tech support for the Career and Technical Education staff at Chapel Hill High, but they will expand that support in the future.
     
Walker encourages her students to earn service-learning hours - plus invaluable Real World experience - at events like Volunteer Night at the Kramden Institute in the Research Triangle Park. Students provide assistance to local residents through Kramden, performing tasks like desktop refurbishing and monitor testing.
     
“It’s great for these students to see their skill set has value. In three hours, you can give people something that can change their lives,” said Walker. “Students say, 'But it’s so easy to swap out a hard drive,' and I say - to you it is!”
     
Beyond the service opportunities touted by Walker, she is constantly sharing news about internships and scholarships for summer study. Her Twitter feed @LearnITWalker is a goldmine for students in search of (there’s that word again) opportunities: cybersecurity workshops, Virtual Reality instruction and UNC’s Imagine Lab are just a few of the recent links or posts shared.
     
Walker also brings in a regular slate of tech speakers from Lenovo, Cisco and other industry giants in the area, as well as creates informative field trips for students to observe and experience a range of IT professionals in action.
     
Liz Anderton is a sophomore in Computer Engineering Technology 1, and she described how fortunate she feels to have landed in the NetAcad, even as one of the few young women in Walker’s classes. “It can be a little intimidating being the only female in a class, but it’s interesting because sometimes they (her male classmates) just think differently.” Anderton said that she’s very shy and has tended to dislike group work in previous classes, but she thrives in the team-learning format of Walker’s class. “This experience has helped me be more open in general. Everyone is really encouraging, and it’s been amazing.”
     
Anderton moved to Chapel Hill from Tennessee before ninth grade. “There was never anything like this where I lived before,” she said. “Kids don’t realize how lucky they are to have these programs. And if more people sign up for NetAcad, we can grow and do even more things.”


The Cisco Networking Academy celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2017. According to its website “since 2005, more than 1.6 million students who have completed advanced courses have gotten new jobs thanks to Cisco Networking Academy. In the United States, 30 percent of enrolled students are underrepresented minorities (African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, or American Indian/Alaska Native), and numerous academies specifically serve military service members, veterans, and their families. Additionally, Cisco Networking Academy has made a commitment to benefit 10,000 people living with disabilities within the next five years.

https://newsroom.cisco.com/press-release-content?articleId=1894689

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Chapel Hill High CTE Student Advances in National Competition

Nadiya Farrington loved art and math as a young child, but it wasn’t until she took a class on Career Explorations at McDougle Middle School that she discovered architecture as a path to blending her two passions. “The fire in her didn’t start at Chapel Hill High,” said Mary Jones, Career and Technical Education Special Populations Coordinator. “She arrived with it already strong.” Now, as a senior at CHHS, Farrington already has more experience and accolades in her budding architecture career than many college seniors. Among her numerous accomplishments is her recent nomination as one of five North Carolina CTE (Career and Technical Education) students to advance to the semifinalist level in the national Presidential Scholars Program for 2018. She is the only young woman of the five candidates from our state.
     
Bound for Cornell University’s top-ranked undergraduate Architecture Program this fall, Farrington has balanced academics, club and varsity volleyball and countless hours of service during her four years at CHHS. Her resume shines with all the highlights. But architecture drives most of what she has chosen for summer experiences and volunteering, both locally with Habitat for Humanity, and construction projects in Mexico and Guatemala. It all comes back to building and design for her.
   
“I love that it’s a permanent art form, and yet it impacts people in their everyday lives,” Farrington said. “It exists for such a long time, and the buildings stand as visual representations of cultural backgrounds and values that you as an architect have - and also as reflections of the community you build them in.”
     
Her formal study began in ninth grade, in William McSwain’s Drafting I class at CHHS. Then she took Drafting-Architectural II and III, and she excelled in each course. "Nadiya's passion for Architecture has honestly made me a better teacher. Her drive and natural curiosity have challenged me as a teacher to challenge her to perform to her potential, and I am a better teacher because of it," McSwain said.
     
Although Farrington participated in summer enrichment programs at the University of Tennessee and at NC State, it wasn’t until she won a scholarship to Cornell’s Introduction to Architecture 2017 summer program that she realized her entire frame of reference had changed. “I spent six weeks at Cornell, and I took on a new perspective. I learned to look at and appreciate experiences differently, to look at the world through an architect’s point of view, noticing how you enter a room, walk through a building or what you see when you drive through a city.”
     
At Cornell last summer, she earned six hours of college credit by completing both Introduction to Architecture and Design Studio. While there, she connected with her first female mentor, and she knows it’s important to keep seeking out women architects to learn from, in a field that is still dominated by white males. As one of only seven underrepresented minorities of the 100 participants at Cornell, Farrington said she recognized how important it will be to mentor other young women of color, once she advances in her career.
   
In addition to the pre-professional experience she has gained through the summer programs, she has undertaken much more strenuous and rudimentary building projects during her service trips to Guatemala and Mexico. “On both trips, I was helping build houses for families in need. In Guatemala, we first had to clear out their old living environment of corn stalks and dirt floors. It was really eye-opening that four sturdy walls represented so much to them,” Farrington said.
     
The trip to Mexico was organized by her church, and the main project was the construction of a church and parsonage which were on top of a hill. “They were visible for miles around,” Farrington said, noting that the experience taught her to consider how your work impacts not only the people who physically interact with the buildings but also from a distance, when people look up to those spaces for hope and inspiration.
     
When Farrington isn’t playing volleyball, studying physics or calculus or volunteering at Habitat, she still needs to find time to work on weekends, both as a cashier in a grocery store, and as an amanuensis for a visually impaired client. At home, she helps out as she can, cooking dinner and spending time with her younger sister. Yet she insists that she does sleep every night! “Because I’ve been passionate about everything I wanted to do, it wasn’t like I was being forced. I’m always driving myself.”
     
As Farrington’s nomination moves through the levels of judging, criteria for evaluation will prioritize involvement and service, leadership and character, heavy workload and obstacles overcome, in addition to academic achievement. Sixty CTE semi-finalists for this prestigious award will be announced in March, and the twenty winners will be selected in April.
     
“Although we had several outstanding nominations this year for the US Presidential Scholars program for CTE, Nadiya's overall experience and how she overcame personal barriers while maintaining academic excellence impressed our interview team the most,” said Kathi Breweur, Director of Career and Technical Education with CHCCS.  “Nadiya's passion for architecture, coupled with her strong desire to help others, is inspirational.  This is a young woman who is a natural leader and a solid role model for her peers. We wish her the best of luck in the next phase of the selection process.”

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Students Place at National TSA Conference

Twenty-four CHCCS students from four different schools competed at the national Technology Student Association (TSA) conference in Dallas from June 28 to July 2.  The students brought back two, first place trophies and a second place trophy, as well as trophies for sixth and tenth place.  They also had two teams reach the semifinals and two students selected as NCTSA officers.

Teams from McDougle Middle brought home both first place trophies.  They won in Structural Engineering Models (team members Polina Ermoshkina and Jacob Meredith-Andrews) and in Flight (team member Angel Koshy).

A team from Phillips Middle brought home the second place trophy in Problem Solving (team members Mike Pudlo and Lydia Treml).

The other Top Ten finishes were both captured by McDougle Middle teams.  Students placed sixth in the Junior Solar Sprint (team members Polina Ermoshkina and Jacob Meredith-Andrews) and tenth in the Go Green Manufacturing competition (team members Sylvia Gordon, Kyle Halstater and Max Kurzman).

The McDougle Middle teams that reached the semifinals were Inventions and Innovations (team members Jayden Gumerman, Kyle Halstater and Max Kurzman) and the Chapter Team (team members James Crescenzi, Polina Ermoshkina, Kyle Halaster, Ian Jensen, Max Kurzman and Jacob Meredith-Andrews).

The two students who were elected as NCTSA officers are Jillian Breithaupt, treasurer, and Kyle Halstater, reporter.

"It's very refreshing to see our students grow in richer and more meaningful ways socially, emotionally and intellectually than could ever be measured on a standardized test," said Team Advisor Patrick Pudlo.  "For example, a middle school student, quite unsure of her abilities, now realizes that her effort in the flight event was not just good, it was THE best.  She is still hugging the trophy," he said.

"Another example is a group of middle school students who failed to read the problem solving event instructions carefully as sixth graders, as eighth graders, receive national recognition," Pudlo adds.

When speaking about the conference, Team Advisor Redmond Grigg said how much he appreciated the opportunity to take the students on this trip and what it can mean for the students.  "Worlds unseen suddenly open and connections are made and the results are priceless, regardless of accolades and awards garnered," said Grigg.

From McDougle Middle, team members are: James Crescenzi, Polina Ermoshkin, Sylvia Gordon, Jayden Gumerman, Noam Gumerman, Kyle Halstater, Ian Jensen, Angel Koshy, Max Kurzman, Jacob Meredith-Andrews, Erick Mickunas, Andrew Redinbo and Colby Reeve.

From Phillips Middle, team members are: Angad Grewal, Albert Huynh, Mike Pudlo and Lydia Treml.

From Chapel Hill High, team members are: Jillian Breithaupt, Bryanna Chazotte, Shera Chellani, Iain Dixon and Nathan Dixon.

From East Chapel Hill High, team members are: Luke Cunningham and Matt Pudlo.

Redmond Grigg advises both McDougle Middle and Chapel Hill High teams and Patrick Pudlo advises both Phillips Middle and East Chapel Hill High teams.

The team chaperones were Anne Halstater and Marne Meredith, whose guidance helped students throughout the conference.  "Whether it was helping students remember schedules and events, finding name tags or room keys, or nursing them in the middle of the night, as the week's festive atmosphere begins to catch up and take its toll, both Anne and Marne rose to the occasion," said Grigg.  "I am grateful for their willingness to participate, not only on behalf of their children, but on behalf of the other students, and on my behalf as well." he added.

TSA is a national organization with more than 200,000 middle and high school student members.  It is an opportunity for students who are engaged in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to learn through challenging competitions, leadership opportunities and community service.  CHCCS students participate in TSA through their Career and Technology Education (CTE) classes at their schools.

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