School is Almost OUT! Congratulations & Recognitions!

As the end of the school year approaches, we are glad to be able to share in some great recognition of Delaware classroom successes as a result of our hard working educators this month.

The Delaware Foundation for Science & Math Education (DFSME) has been supporting Delaware's educators and the enhancement of Delaware's education system for several decades. The DFSME Board and leadership are sincere in thanking you for your ongoing efforts. We interact with educators, parents, government representatives, and businesspeople across Delaware.

As a career STEM leader in business who has worked in large, medium and now small companies which are a growing part of the STEM workforce of the future with exciting new pathways, I would like to say, Teachers, you might not hear it every day, but people are thanking you every day!

– Dave Cadogan

CEO and Founder of Moonprint Solutions, LLC, Dave brings his expertise

to DFSME by connecting business and engineering to our STEM community.

Congratulations to this year's Brandywine High School STEM team! (Pictured L to R) Katherine McDerby, Malti John and Isabella Chermak (Not pictured: Olivia Erskine) as national winners in the Annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition. Photo courtesy Samsung Solve for Tomorrow, Pablo Corradi.

Redesigning Board Games to Accommodate All Abilities

Brandywine High School Wins National Finals AGAIN!

For the second year in a row, Brandywine High School's STEM team has been named national winner in the Annual Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Competition.

Students Olivia Erskine, Katherine McDerby, Isabella Chermak and Malti John, with STEM teacher Sean Merklin, created electronic board games meant to generate connections between special education students and their peers. The high schoolers have developed adaptive versions of Connect4 and Chutes and Ladders to accommodate players of all abilities. The team’s goal was to support students with disabilities more opportunities to connect with teachers and fellow learners through games. Students made a live project pitch before judges in Washington, D.C.

The team is one of three national winners with a $100K prize package including Samsung products and classroom resources headed to their school. In addition, this year the team scored the new Rising Entrepreneurship Award, receiving an additional $25,000 prize.

Inset photo: Adaptive versions of Connect4 and Chutes and Ladders created by Brandywine High School STEM team. Photo courtesy WDEL.

Competition Video

The young cooks from Caesar Rodney School District are state champs once again. The culinary team consists of Melia Stamper, Shannon Powell, Ralph Figueroa, Carys Raber, Zoe Rowe and Grey Bendel. Photos courtesy TownSquare Live.

Caesar Rodney High School:

5x State Culinary Competition Winners

Caesar Rodney High School’s culinary team recently took home its fifth straight state title in the 11th Annual Delaware ProStart Student Invitational, which was hosted in Baltimore. The Delaware Restaurant Foundation hosts the statewide competition featuring 17 culinary and management teams who were judged on teamwork, culinary expertise and restaurant industry management skills.

Students from Caesar Rodney High School took home 1st place honors for the culinary competition, something they’ve become accustomed to, with a win streak that spans back to 2019. Cape Henlopen High School’s team took home the silver followed by Paul M. Hodgson Vocational Technical High School’s team.

The National ProStart Invitational is the largest high school culinary and restaurant management contest in the country. A fusion of "Chopped" and "Shark Tank," it provides a STEM platform for the students to compete for a share of scholarships totaling $200,000. Caesar Rodney bested teams from some 47 other states in a two-day showdown that gathered more than 400 students, top restaurant and food service industry judges in Baltimore.

The team was led by educator Riki Senn and Thomas Hannum, an owner of Buckley's Tavern in Centreville and Wilmington's Goober's Diner, who mentored the students.

Domenic J. Maiorano, St. Edmond’s head of school, and benefactor Kathleen Wagner-Szczerba hold the scissors at the ribbon cutting for the new Wagner-Szczerba EDGE Arena (Engineering, Design & Gaming Experience). Photo courtesy TownSquare Live, Ken Mammarella.

Taking STEM to the EDGE at St. Edmond’s

A hamster feeder, a bed ejector and a system that uses a gyroscope and LEDs that turn bubble gum pink to warn a biker that’s he riding riskily were some of the interesting STEM inventions shown off by students at St. Edmond’s Academy.

The fair was part of a program to dedicate the new Wagner-Szczerba EDGE Arena, which the Brandywine Hundred academy called “a state-of-the art engineering, design and gaming (experience) facility designed to give students a hand-on, practical learning experience as they sharpen their STEM skills.”

And it all came about because of a friendship between veteran educator Kathleen Wagner-Szczerba and Domenic J. Maiorano, head of school.

“I said ‘Do something cool,’” said Wagner-Szczerba, an educator

for 35 years and supporter of the school. “And Domenic said

‘We’ll be innovative and inspirational.’” She also asked for something

that would “set the academy apart from its peers.”

The school, which serves about 165 boys grades K-8, converted a traditional classroom into the arena, with seating and computers for about a dozen students. The arena – with the name evoking spaces used for e-sports competitions – opened in the fall and is named after Wagner-Szczerba, in honor of her generosity… >> READ MORE

Dr. Rachel Peacock was honored with the Shining Light Award at a presentation at Cape Henlopen High School.

(L to R): Dr. Jessica Hazzard, Assistant Principal; Kristin DeGregory, Principal; Dr. Michael Young, Supervisor of Secondary Education, Cape Henlopen School District; Dr. Rachel Peacock, Chemistry Teacher, Cape Henlopen High School; Randy Guschl, Executive Director, DFSME; Dr. LouAnn Hudson, Director of Instructional Support; Joshua Chubb, Assistant Principal; and Drew Coulter, Assistant Principal.

DFSME’s May “Shining Light Award”

Honors Dr. Rachel Peacock, High School Chemistry Educator

This month’s DFSME Shining Light Award honors Dr. Rachel Peacock. Rachel teaches chemistry and Advanced Placement chemistry at Cape Henlopen High School in Lewes, Delaware. Bringing a passion for learning to the classroom, Rachel encourages her students to find joy and pride in mastering challenging scientific content.

Guided by the belief that all students can succeed in a rigorous classroom environment when provided consistent and appropriate supports, Rachel develops grit and resiliency within her students. She also serves as the faculty advisor for the National Honor Society chapter, the building level co-leader for the Justice League and on the Secondary Grading and Assessment committee at Cape.

Within all her classes, students are encouraged to ask questions, problem solve, and engage with rigorous content. She believes all students should be exposed to challenging coursework that will prepare them for STEAM-related majors in college. Dr. Peacock has single-handedly increased the number of students taking AP Chemistry from 12 students to over 50.

Rachel began teaching in 1998. She pursued her Doctor of Education in critical pedagogy where she studied the school-to-prison pipeline and now works with academic tracking, discipline policies and special education practices that facilitate disparities in education and beyond. She has come to regard the classroom as the most powerful space to disrupt the perpetuation of inequities within our society.

We are pleased to recognize Dr. Rachel Peacock as a Superlative Educator!

Dr. Peacock was nominated by Rita Vasta,

New Castle County Vocational School District Assistant Principal, Retired.

Nominate Your Favorite Educator to be a Shining Light!

Anyone may nominate a STEM formal, informal or community Educator for the Shining Light Award. Honorees receive an award, a $100 gift card and a mini heavy-duty mag flashlight.

For more details, go to dfsme.org/shining-light-award

Email completed form to drses48@aol.com or Michelle.Kutch@bsd.k12.de.us.

Nomination Form

A few hundred students signed certificates of commitment to work with future employers during Career Signing Day, strengthening the Delaware workforce.

"Career Signing Day"

Hundreds of Vo-Tech Grads Commit to Working in Delaware

Close to 300 students from all four New Castle County Vo-Tech high schools are officially committed to the Delaware workforce after graduation.

Similar to star student athletes picking their next team, each student signed a certificate of commitment with an employer during "Career Signing Day" at Delcastle Technical High School. Surrounded by their career program teachers, employers and family members, each student inked their plan to join the workforce and contribute to Delaware’s economic prosperity.

Invited speaker Senator Chris Coons helped inspire the event in 2018. Last year was the first year that all four district schools – Delcastle, Hodgson, Howard and St. Georges – invited all students who were planning to enter the workforce.

New Castle County Vo-Tech has 38 career program areas, state-of-the-art career and technical learning spaces, co-operative employment opportunities, adult education and apprenticeship programs that include medical assisting, dental assisting, technical drafting, automotive technology, auto body, plumbing, electrical trades, HVAC, computer programming, Early Childhood Education and more.

2024’s Educators Rising national day of signing for Delaware was held at the Old State House.

“Educators Rising Signing Day”

87 Students Pledge to Teach in Delaware

On Educators Rising Signing Day, 87 students from 12 high schools throughout Delaware enrolled in the state’s Teacher Academy Programs of Study.

The 87 students this year marks about a 50% growth from 2023’s signing day, according to Alison May, public information officer for the Delaware Department of Education.

In addition to being one remedy to the ongoing national teacher shortage, the day is meant to send students into their next journey after high school and also enforce the great options for college and work in the state of Delaware, said Michael Hill-Shaner, education associate for the Delaware Department of Education and also the state director and advisor for Educators Rising.

Students committed to more than 15 postsecondary institutions, including Delaware Technical Community College, Delaware State University, University of Delaware and Wilmington University.

There’s more than a thousand Delaware students involved in the program, Hill-Shaner said. The state’s Educators Rising students are part of Delaware Pathways Teacher Academy program.

Educators Rising is a national organization that helps shape the future of the educator workforce. It partners with states and has several programs. For its high school program, students learn teaching techniques and get clinical experience as an accomplished teacher even before college, while being shaped as a student leader and advocate for education.

DFSME Mini Grant Project Awardee

“Gravity, Friction and Other Forces on Earth”

Newark Charter Intermediate School

Thank You, DFSME!

“Greetings from 5th Grade Science at Newark Charter Intermediate School! We are so grateful for the DFSME Mini Grant awarded to us. We used the STEM activities from the grant during our Forces and Gravity study.

I teach 165 fifth-grade students every school day. The students range in academics, ethnicity, and many socioeconomic factors. The STEM activities were a big hit! Friction, gravity, and other forces on Earth are hard concepts to conceptually grasp and these activities put the words into action, literally! These STEM stations awarded by the DFSME mini grant will be used every fifth-grade year during our Gravity unit to build lasting connections. The students also loved learning more about Newton and Galileo and their theories.

Thanks again for awarding us the DFSME Mini Grant! We appreciate your support.”

— Jeanette Perey, M.Ed, 5th Grade Science, Newark Charter Intermediate School

May's Outstanding Delaware Woman in STEM Honoree

Angelica Riemann, was recently named President of the Agilent CrossLab Group. Over the span of her 24-year career at Agilent, she has contributed key strategic insights and recommendations as part of the Agilent Enterprise Strategy Initiative. She has informed high-impact business strategies driven by organic investment and M&A opportunities. Her experience includes progressive leadership responsibilities across technical support, sales, program and product marketing, and marketing management.

Million Women Mentors is the premier network dedicated to encouraging girls and women around the world to pursue, persist and succeed in STEM careers. The Delaware STEM Council and DFSME are partners in the event along with MWM-DE and the Office of the Governor, State of Delaware.

Who is Moonprint Solutions in Delaware?

“When we walked into the Moonprint Solutions warehouse, an enormous 150-person self-deploying life raft being developed for US Coast Guard mass rescue operations was spread across the floor. There is no right-side-up; whichever side faces up once the raft hits the water and inflates is the ‘right’ side. By the time we left, the enormous life-saving device had been meticulously folded so that it fit into a large duffle bag, which unzips itself when dropped from a helicopter or thrown into the water from a ship. Unlike normal lifeboats – which need to be lowered into the water and cannot be accessed if a ship is turned on its side – these rafts can be accessed regardless of a ship’s position.”

— Anne Pfaelzer de Ortiz, Director of Development and Operations, DFSME,

about visiting Moonprint Solutions LLC in Dover, Delaware

“Because of the cutting-edge materials used to make the device, it is light enough to be handled by a single person. This is just one example of the remarkable solutions to important problems created by this small Delaware company.”

Moonprint is also currently working on several cutting-edge development programs for NASA. These include portable water containers for astronauts to use on the south pole of the Moon, glovebags for use on the International Space Station to support critical experiments on new materials, a softgoods repair lab for future space stations, and protective covers for lunar surface robotics that prevent highly abrasive lunar dust from entering and destroying sensitive mechanisms.

An engineering company with services that include product development, consulting, and prototype manufacturing, Moonprint Solutions works collaboratively with clients to fulfill needs identified by government agencies such as the U.S. Department of Defense and NASA, as well as commercial companies of all sizes. Moonprint personnel use softgoods such as textiles, coated fabrics, and membranes, to create inflatable or flexible products to solve challenging problems.

Moonprint is a proud Delaware company that strongly supports education entities including DFSME, The Delaware STEM Council, The Delaware Space Grant Consortium, and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics local educational outreach programs.

To learn more, click here.

Applications are Open!

10th Delaware STEM Educator Awards

The Delaware STEM Educator Awards recognize a teacher or team of teachers at the elementary, middle and high school levels of both traditional public & private schools and community programming that demonstrate STEM innovation and excellence through teaching, academic collaboration, and student engagement.

Applicants for this award include science (all fields), mathematics (all fields), computer science, engineering, and CTE educators. At least three unrestricted cash awards of up to $7,500 will be given to each first-place winning teacher or team of teachers.

For more information and 2024 application, click here.

To learn more about the 9th Award Winners, please read this article covering the November 2023 Award Winners – Delaware STEM Council.

Environmental Literacy by Discovery Education

Career and Technical Education (CTE) prepares learners for the future of the world of work, including the advent and expansion of the green workforce. As Delaware learners of all levels prepare for future careers, they will demonstrate environmental literacy by analyzing, evaluating, and predicting environmental impacts, actions, and outcomes and applying this knowledge to career paths of their choosing. Discovery Education supports environmental literacy in a variety of ways.

To log in using your Delaware credentials, click here.

Science Night at the Ball Park

Teachers! Get Blue Rocks tickets at a discounted price!