Young Women Take Part in Third AV STEM Conference

Over 100 young women from regional middle and high schools, along with approximately 50 of their parents, took part in the third annual STEM Conference for Girls on 14 March 2015 at the AVUHSD Palmdale Conference Center.  The day's activities began with an industry panel presentation MC'd by Krysti Papadopolous from XCOR and panelists Shana Blakley from Rio Tinto, Arielle Duen from Northrop Grumman, Ana Esquivel from the AVC STEM Club, Latosha Imani from Lockheed Martin, and Christos Valiotis from AVC. 

Each girl participated in two hands-on workshop sessions, ranging from the body's use of calories and the medical use of robots, to making solar cell-phone chargers and catapults, among others.

Parents also participated in a hands-on activity on hydrolysis facilitated by students from Palmdale High School, as well as financial aid planning, STEM programs and activities, and presentations from local post-secondary institutions.

The day was capped off with a motivational presentation by renowned speaker JJ DiGeronimo from Tech Savvy Women from Cleveland, Ohio, and Pi Day fun and games.

PHS Students Explain Activity to Parents

Testing solar cellphone charger

Distance test on catapult

Preparing experiment on body's use of calories

 

STEM Conference for Girls On-Line Registration Now Open!

Update 3/9/15:  Conference registration is now full!


Registration is now open for the third annual STEM Conference for Girls co-sponsored by the AV Union High School District and Antelope Valley College (with funding from the HSI STEM Grant).  The conference will be held on Saturday, 14 March 2015, from 9:00am to 3:00pm, at the AVUHSD Palmdale Conference Center, 1156 East Avenue "S," Palmdale, CA.

The event will be open to a maximum of 50 middle school young women, and 50 high school young women, with speakers and hands-on STEM workshops.  There will also be a parent strand for a maximum of 50 parents whose daughter is registered and attends the event.

Registration is free, and lunch will be provided.  Photos and video will be taken of the attendees of the event for future promotional use.  To complete the registration form, go to STEM Conference for Girls Registration .

AVC Offers Fast Track Developmental Math Advancement Sessions in July and August

Antelope Valley College will be offering two sessions of "Fast Track Developmental Math Advancement"  on Mondays through Thursdays from 28 July through 14 August 2014; the first session will be from 8:00am to noon, and the second from 1:00-5:00pm PDT in ME-100 at the Lancaster campus.  Students will to participate in the computer-based learning curriculum, complete in three weeks rather than a semester (or continue into fall, if needed), avoid having to crash full  sections of MATH 065, 070, or 102, and have access to tutors and other support personnel.  For more information and to access the link to register, visit Fast Track Developmental Math Advancement Sessions - Hot News, or contact Prof. Tooraj Gordi at tgordi@avc.edu. 

MSET Hosts Tour of Local STEM School Programs for Community

On Wednesday, 30 October 2013, the Antelope Valley Math Science Engineering and Technology (MSET) Consortium, along with the Antelope Valley Board of Trade, Antelope Valley Union High School District, and Antelope Valley College, sponsored a tour of Palmdale STEM school programs for local community partners.  The tour visited Antelope Valley College's Palmdale Center, The Palmdale Aerospace Academy, Palmdale High School's FAST and Health Careers Academies, and Knight High School's Digital Design & Engineering Academy.  Approximately 35 government officials, business and industry, and education community members attended the event, which included presentations and a working lunch. The response from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with a call for future tours to be made available regularly to other local school programs.

California Senator Steve Knight joins community members

 touring The Palmdale Aerospace Academy

Students of the FAST Academy at Palmdale HS work on simple machines in their PLTW lab

Health Careers  Academy students at Palmdale HS learn about measuring injectible medications

Knight HS Digital Design & Engineering Academy Coordinator James Stockdale explains the MakerSpace to tour participants

Aerospace Valley Science Olympiad 2013

The Aerospace Valley Science Olympiad 2013 was held on Saturday, 16 March 2013, on the campus at Antelope Valley College.  Teams of middle school students from around the greater Antelope Valley and Tehachapi competed in events ranging from Disease Detectives, Metric Mastery, Reach for the Stars, Experimental Design and Crimebusters, to Water Quality and Forestry.  High school students participated in an inaugural invitational with events such as bridge-building, Robot Arm, and Sustainable Society.  Winners at the middle school level are now eligible to compete in the state competition.  A variety of exhibitors were also on hand, including the KHS Digital Design & Engineering Academy, local robotics teams, remote control cars, Lockheed, NASA, and AIAA, among others.  Thanks to all of the students, teachers, and volunteers who participated!

Judging ready to begin in Structures event

Team Rebelutionary displays robotics awards

Sustainable Society display

Overall winners:  1st place - Jacobsen Middle School (Tehachapi); 2nd place - Desert Willow Middle School (Palmdale); 3rd place - Palmdale Learning Plaza (Palmdale). 

NASA Award for Above Average Engineering Achievement ("Helicopter" event):  Los Amigos School (Palmdale).

Div. B (Middle School) Sanctioned Event Winners: 

• Disease Detectives:  David G. Millen
• Experimental Design:  Pinecrest
• Food Science:  Jacobsen
• Helicopter:  Los Amigos
• Mission Possible:  Palmdale Learning Plaza
• Mousetrap Vehicle:  Hillview
• Road Scholar:  Jacobsen
• Rocks and Minerals:  David G. Millen
• Rotor  Egg Drop:  Daisy Gibson
• Shock Value:  Desert Willow
• Sounds of Music:  Jacobsen
• Anatomy:  Palmdale Learning Plaza
• Heredity:  High Desert
• Meterology:  High Desert
• Write It/Do It:  Pinecrest
• Reach for the Stars:  The Palmdale Aerospace Academy
• Dynamic Planet:  Hillview
• Crime Busters:  Jacobsen
• Forestry:  David G. Millen
• Water Quality:  Shadow Hills
• Beat the Heat:  Jacobsen
• Metric Mastery:  Los Amigos
• Boomilever:  David G. Millen

Div. C (High School) Invitational Event Winners:

• Popsicle Stick Structures - Bridge: Quartz Hill HS; Tower: Tehachapi HS; Cantilever Beam - Palmdale HS
• Storm the Castle: Tehachapi HS
• Egg-O-Naut Water Rocket: Palmdale HS
• Robot Arm: Tehachapi HS
• Sustainable Society: Tehachapi HS

 

STEM Conference for Girls Fun and Informative

Over 100 young ladies and approximately 50 parents attended the first STEM Conference for Girls, co-sponsored by AVUHSD, AVC, and Upper Hand to College at the Palmdale Conference Center on Saturday, 9 March 2013.  Sessions included "Focus Your Future" with industry professionals, as well as college and high school academy students, and workshops on polymers, DNA, web design, and more.  Parents learned how to prepare their students for careers in STEM fields, including a variety of opportunities available in secondary and post-secondary education.

Students work in a polymers lab

Parents participate in workshop on preparing their students for STEM careers



Middle and high school students hear from industry professionals and students

A similar event was recently held at CSULB, called Engineer Girls @ The Beach.  http://www.presstelegram.com/ci_22802615/csulb-hosts-engineering-program-younger-female-students

 

 

AFRL Hosting Rocket Propulsion Research Conference at AVC

The AFRL will be hosting the Rocket Propulsion Research Conference at Antelope Valley College Health and Sciences Building Room 201 from on Tuesday, 11 December, through Thursday, 12 December 2013.  Day one will focus on Space Propulsion and Combustion topics, day two on Combustion and Propellants as well as a tour of AVC facilities, and day three on Propellants and Propulsion Materials.  Each day will run from approximately 8:00am to 4:00pm.  For more information, please contact Jamie Jones at AVC, hsistemcoop@gmail.com or 661.722.6300 x 6992.

Engineering Pathway Orientation Meeting at AVC 11/19/12

Antelope Valley College and CSULB/AV - AV Engineering Program will present an orientation to the engineering pathway degree completion program on 19 November 2012, from 5:30 to 7:00pm at the AVC Boardroom (SSV151).  Sharon Delmage from the Palmdale Center will make a special presentation on the PATHEVO program.  http://www.avc.edu/stem/documents/EngPathwayFlyerNovPROOF2.pdf