Student testimonials from Beckman Catholic HS (December 14, 2018)

Beckman Catholic High School
1325 9th Street SE
Dyersville, IA 52040
November, 2018

Dear Eastern Iowa Science and Engineering Fair Board of Directors,

Beckman Catholic High School would like to acknowledge your contribution to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs. STEM involvement has played a pivotal role in the lives of our students over the years. Beckman students have investigated solutions to problems across many disciplines both in and out of the classroom. They have had the challenge of communicating many facets of scientific research to a wide audience. These research experiences have proven to be a springboard for collaboration between universities, businesses, and professional researchers nationally and internationally. As teachers and research mentors, we have had a unique perspective to witness the development of well-rounded individuals who continue on to higher education, the military, and STEM-related careers.

Symposiums, scholarship competitions, and science fairs have enabled students to expand communication skills as they engage with professionals in business and education. Your support of these programs helps facilitate opportunities and fuel a passion for STEM involvement. Beckman Catholic High School would like to thank you for your past and continued support of STEM initiatives. We would like to share the thoughts of some of our past and present students as they reflect on how these programs have impacted their lives.

Katelyn

Participating in research and Agri-science competitions fueled my passion for both dairy farming and science, something people don’t realize go hand and hand. By getting the chance to create and carry out my own on-farm research, I was able to delve into the science behind what we do every day. I worked with researchers and professionals in the dairy industry and gained valuable professional skills. I met amazing, intelligtnt people across the country that are just as passionate about their areas of research. Without this opportunity, I would not be where I am today. As a student studying dairy science, I continue to look back on the skills and opportunities that science fairs gave me. I learned so much about my passion, was driven to dig even deeper, formed an amazing community with the other research students, grew my network of industry professionals, gained self-confidence, public speaking skills, and so much more. Doing my research project took me places I never imagined I would be, such as standing on the National FFA Convention stage. I could spend days talking about the ways that this opportunity has changed my life.

Megan

As a freshman in college, I am already seeing the impact my participation in the Beckman science department has made. I have been able to write technical lab reports for classes easily, understanding the information necessary to include in the subsections. I feel I understand the scientific research method well. Conducting research and taking PLTW courses allowed me to explore an interest, encouraging me to pursue a degree in the area of engineering. I gained problem solving skills through these experiences. Attending the career fair as a first year student, I felt comfortable and confident speaking with companies. My experience explaining my research to judges was very similar to the conversations I had with companies at the career fair. Additionally, I felt comfortable answering questions in my interview, articulating why my research would make me a valuable employee. My research was the main talking point of my resume, displaying my ambition. As a result of attending the career fair, I received several job interview requests and later an internship offer. Typically, students in their first semester of college do not receive interviews. However, my real-world research experience was viewed as relevant work experience. In the future, this experience will help me remain a competitive applicant.

Shelby

Science research has opened many doors to my future. It has allowed me to become an expert in areas I never knew existed. I have been given the chance to share my research while expanding my communication skills. Research allows for networking across the world with leading industry experts and students alike. I am very thankful for this opportunity for personal growth which would not be possible without support from my community.

Amanda

What started as a school project comparing different milking systems, turned into a passion for research and exploration for me. Beckman’s STEM program allowed me the opportunity to learn to work on a team to accomplish a goal, network with world researchers, and present my original research at a state level. The skills gained from these experiences currently help me work with companies, research the best options for them, coordinate with coworkers to complete projects, and network with industry leaders daily in my sales career. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of Beckman’s STEM program during my time in high school.

Justin

Being able to share an experience that is different and unique compared to many of my peers has already played a major role in my college and job market experience. Completing research in high school allowed to me to expand my knowledge and also grow as a person. I am now a freshman at Iowa State University and I have accepted a position with Landus Cooperative as their 101 intern this summer. The personal growth I gained through research in high school was a large factor in my success of landing that internship and continues to play a role in my everyday college life. It pushed me to step out of my comfort zone, which may have been uncomfortable at the time, but as I look back now was very beneficial to the skills I need today. The research program has been a huge benefit to me as well as my peers that were involved with me. I am thankful I was able to take part in such a great opportunity and experience.

Jackie

To me, it was never a question of if I would choose a STEM major; it was a matter of pinpointing my broad interests and choosing a field that could fuel my scientific curiosity. I owe nearly all this scientific curiosity to my experiences in STEM in high school; particularly the opportunity to participate in science fairs and competitions. My teacher encouraged me to submit papers to the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, of which, I was selected to present twice. She was a big supporter of the State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa, where I presented three posters. Here, I was also honored to earn a nomination to compete nationally my senior year of high school. I am an undergraduate researcher and am a co-author on two papers published in scientific journals. Last year, I had the opportunity to represent Iowa as the Iowa State Fair Queen. Communication skills are the most important part of this role. Because of the public speaking and communication offered through science fairs and symposiums, I was very comfortable speaking in front of large audiences and talking one on one with people.

Mason

Participating in a research program allows one to gain extensive knowledge and depth in a specific topic by researching, fabricating, and carrying out a project of one’s choosing based on one’s own interests. This unique opportunity opens a world of possibilities for current students which continue to benefit them for years after graduation. Through research at Beckman, I was able to participate in regional, state, national, and international research fairs which not only strengthened my understanding in science but also my public speaking skills, ability to articulate abstruse concepts, and capacity to make significant connections with leaders in numerous fields. These fortified skills and capabilities continue to influence me today as a college student.

Josie, Class of 2006, Staff Scientist at Eurofins Microbiology

When I reflect on my career journey so far, I am always grateful of the supportive start I received from my teacher. Being from a small, private school with limited STEM resources, I didn’t think my cardboard display board had a chance compared to the other students’ designer boards and their Dl school sponsorship. When I started winning science fair awards, I realized that it was not about the size of the school, it was about the quality of research and the invaluable guidance I received. From winning awards to being a scientist at a world-wide testing laboratory, I am truly thankful of my successes that all started at Beckman, and I am honored to have helped launch a thriving program for high school research.

As these excerpts from student testimonials attest, you have provided Beckman students and teachers with numerous opportunities to make an impact in their communities over the years. We would like to say thank you again for your support of student programs and STEM initiatives.

With sincere gratitude,

Cheryl Kluesner
Beckman Catholic High School
Science Teacher and Faculty Representative