General Membership Meeting
December 18, 2001
PA President Marilena Christodoulou opened the meeting at 7:05 PM.
Announcements: We have a new website and all the environmental information is on it. The PA joined in a Rally this evening, December 18th, at City Hall co-sponsored by the Political, Social and Legal Action committee, which is headed by Richard Roth. In order to assist the efforts and upgrade the environmental systems at Stuy, we are doing fundraising with various corporations to raise money. There is a new approach for the annual PA Phonathon, using telemarketing. Marty Katz will direct the telemarketing initiative and he was nominated co-chair of the phonathon committee. A motion was made to ratify Marty Katz as co-chair of the phonathon. It was seconded and passed.
The November 13, 2001 General Membership Meeting minutes were accepted as written.
Treasurer's Report: Treasurer, Donovan Moore, reported that another $22,000 came in due to successful follow-upon the 2001 Phonathon. The PA Recovery Fund has $4,000 in unrestricted funds. The Appropriations Committee will go back to work to evaluate funding requests. We are on budget on every item. The environmental testing will cost more than we had budgeted. A motion was made for an additional $2,000 for environmental testing. The motion was seconded and passed.
Sheldon Stachel opened the program for the evening on Independent Research. Sheldon noted that Stuyvesant is known for Independent Research and this work does not just happen. He expressed appreciation for the staff and pointed out that the courses offered make this possible. He introduced Lizzette Velez de Intriago as the co-chair and then each of the Program Speakers.
Ann Manwell is the research coordinator. Ann explained that the goals of the independent research program at Stuy are to develop critical thinking skills, develop technical writing skills, and to challenge the students' intellectual interest. These are done through preparative courses and independent research method. She noted that research must be student driven, mentors provide guidance and a special relationship and that Stuy contacts can be very helpful. Timing is very important. She described numerous competitions and stated that success is facilitated by Stanley Teitel.
Ms. Olga Livanis, AP for chemistry & Physics, cited three areas: the partnership with Hunter College, the website and the link to mentors, and the reestablishment of Stuy advanced science seminar series. The Stuy website has links to all kinds of science institutions and their staff. In the seminar series, many prominent scientists come to speak to the students.
Ms. Elizabeth Fong, AP for Biology & GeoSciences, gave us insight into classes that our children can take. The courses are designed to teach the basics and fundamentals, the universal way of behaving like a scientist and the way to sound like a scientist. She listed several classes that give the foundation of scientific methodology and how to distill pertinent information.
Ms. Jennifer Suri, AP for Social Studies, discussed topics of Social Science research, links and courses. She described numerous contests our students enter.
Bruce Winokur, Mathematics Research coordinator, described recreational mathematics and all different types of math not seen in the classroom. Students see something that interests them and it teaches them how to pursue their interest in math.
Dr. Julie Mankiewicz of the Queens College School of Earth & Environmental Sciences spoke as a mentor. She works with students to keep the natural ecological systems clean and does internship programs in the summer.
Christopher Velez, Stuy Class of 2001, a former student researcher, cited his research as one of the most rewarding experiences he had. He took advanced classes giving him the underpinnings he needed. He called to find a mentor: 30 e-mails yielded six responses, three No's and three interviews, yielding one mentor. He learned the scientific protocols, won local competitions and said that he got many pay-offs for his sacrifice. His High School experience qualified him over older classmates for a job at Harvard. He urged us to motivate our children to perform research.
Dr. John Wagner, a former PA member and parent of a Stuy graduate, and Director of Cornell Medical School in Neuroscience, spoke as a researcher and mentor. He said that it is possible to create an environment with an attitude that you can expect to make consistent discoveries and that this is not impossible. This environment is one wherein students can learn to be interested not in what they know, but in what they do not know. He listed the pros and cons of high school students as interns, urging that the students be prepared with good courses and be ready to work with an appreciative attitude. Regarding mentors, he advised that students develop an interest and follow that interest, expecting to be productive and to excel. He concluded that it is really fun doing research.
At 9:00 PM, Sheldon thanked the panel for their presentations and questions and answers were entertained. It seems that the most significant factor is for a student to do something that they care about. When looking for intern opportunities, they should be choosy and pick something that they are so interested in that they can be passionate and do it for years.
Judy Moore announced that the Board of Education is taking part in an initiative pairing schools and mental health professionals. Stuy is paired with the Jewish Board of Family & Jewish Services and groups are being started for mental health.
Meeting adjourned at 9:20 PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Elizabeth Schnee, Recording Secretary
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