North County Student Jack Andraka is First Lady's Guest at State of the Union

The student has taken his talents from the classroom in Glen Burnie to the White House.

Local viewers of President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address on Tuesday night may recognize a face in the crowd, as North County High School student Jack Andraka will be in attendance. Andraka, 16, made a huge splash in 2012 with his invention of a paper-based sensor that can help more accurately and efficiently detect pancreatic cancer—a feat that won him first place in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, plus the attention of several patent-seeking companies. He has since been featured in several publications, including Smithsonian Magazine, and was the subject of a short film called You Don't Know Jack by famed documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock. First Lady Michelle Obama invited Andraka to the address as a …

• Photos (1)

Five Questions With ...

Q&A: North County High School Student Ben Seto

Ben Seto, 17, is a rising senior at North County High School.

Patch caught up last month with North County High School student Ben Seto, 17, a rising senior at the school. The Pasadena resident is part of the school's science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) program. Patch stopped him to ask Five Questions. Patch: What school would you attend if you weren't in the STEM program? What do you like about going to North County? Ben Seto: I would go to Chesapeake. North County has a lot of diversity, especially in the STEM program because it attracts people from all over the area. Just seeing a bunch of different people that I never met before—it was all new to me when I came to North County. Most of the people I knew went to Chesapeake. So coming here introduced me to a lot of new things. Patch: …

• Photos (1)

County Schools Celebrate STEM Excellence

High school students from Glen Burnie schools were among those recognized.

Students and teachers from Glen Burnie were among those recently honored for their accomplishments. The following information was submitted to Patch by Lauren Grey, an intern in the Magnet Office of Advanced Studies and Programs for Anne Arundel County Public Schools. Twenty-eight graduating seniors from across the county were recognized for their achievement in the subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math at the STEM Awards Ceremony on May 23. Each public high school in Anne Arundel County (AACPS) nominated two students to be celebrated for their exceptional interest and passion in classes and activities related to STEM through their high school careers. This event also allowed each first-place winner to thank one educator …

• Photos (1)

North County Prepares to Graduate First STEM Students

The Glen Burnie school will graduate its first 50 STEM students next week, according to the Maryland Gazette.

After having the program at the school for four years, North County High School will graduate 50 students from its science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) program, according to the Maryland Gazette. The program has become so popular that for the past two years, students have had to enter a lottery system for admission. The school has 250 students currently enrolled in the program with plans to enroll 100 more next school year, according to the Gazette. North County's graduation will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Towson University. Check back later in the week for more information on Tuesday's graduation events. Read more about North County's STEM program.

• Photos (2)

Open Session Reveals Potential 'Head Start' for Magnet Program Students (Poll)

The brand new Performing Visual Arts High School's location and programming will be fully announced in the next 30 to 45 days, according to officials.

Renee Church pushed a stroller through Old Mill’s hallways as her daughter climbed her like a jungle gym. Juggling her two young children and the attention of her 11-year-old son Connor, Church attended the open session at Old Mill High School Wednesday night for parents to learn about Anne Arundel County’s 16 magnet programs ranging from middle school to high school. Church was just one of hundreds of parents in attendance looking to decide whether they would apply their child for various programs like Performing Visual Arts (PVA), International Baccalaureate (IB) and Center of Applied Technology (CAT). A decision that’s a no-brainer according to Joseph Wieczorek, who greeted the parents to kick-off the night. Wieczorek serves as the …

• Photos (5)

North County Freshman Competing to Become Nation's Top Young Scientist (Video)

Jack Andraka, 14, will be presenting a project that involves "roofs and physics" in the finals in St. Paul, MN, from Oct. 2-5.

Jack Andraka is on his way to St. Paul, MN, to hopefully stake his claim as the nation’s top young scientist. The Crownsville teen earned his spot in the finals set for Oct. 2-5 while he was an 8th grader at Chesapeake Science Point in Hanover. He stands to win $25,000. His project then dealt with retro-fitting low-flow dams with an underwater ramp near the breast of the dam to negate the vortex action that causes many drownings each year. And all the North County High School freshman will say about his project he will present at the finals is that it involves roofs and physics. “I plan on putting it into a scholarship account for college,” the 14-year-old said about his potential winnings. “But for me, the top prize is being given the …

• Photos (3)
• Videos (1)

County Offers Information on Magnet Programs, Including New Performing Visual Arts High School

An event Wednesday will provide information on existing programs and how to apply, while a meeting on Oct. 11 at AACC will discuss the new PVA High School Program.

Magnet programs, once perceived as being for "smart kids only," now offer a variety of learning experiences for middle and high school students who are curious about international cultures, science and technology, performing and visual arts or health care. Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) offers a variety of magnet programs that provide the opportunity for students to learn in an environment that aligns with their interests—and maybe even their career aspirations. Students and parents can learn about the 13 magnet programs currently offered by AACPS Wednesday at Old Mill High School from 6 to 8 p.m. Another information session was held Sept. 22 at Annapolis High School. In addition, there will be an information session on the …

• Photos (1)

Photo Gallery: North County STEMtastic Expo

Students from the 13 North County cluster schools showcased talents at community Expo Saturday.

Students and faculty from the 13 schools in the North County cluster held the first-ever STEMtastic event Saturday at the Centre at Glen Burnie, showcasing their science, technology, engineering and math skills.

• Photos (14)

North County Schools to Display STEM Savvy

Students and faculty from the 13 schools in the North County cluster will hold the first-ever STEMtastic event Saturday at the Centre at Glen Burnie.

Thirteen schools in the North County cluster will showcase their science, technology, engineering and math skills at the first STEMtastic event Saturday. With North County High being one of two STEM magnet programs in the county, Regional Assistant Superintendent Catherine Herbert for the North County cluster of schools said the event is a way to reach out to the community so people can learn more about what their children are learning. “We’re working to become a cluster that works well together with a common vision,” she said, adding that the elementary, middle, high and charter schools in the cluster see many of the same students at one point or another. Schools are planning to present science and technology displays including a static …

• Photos (1)

North County Girls Celebrate Women’s History Month with Michelle Obama

Ten North County students were selected to attend a dinner at the White House where they met with 20 successful women from varying fields.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. That was the general consensus of the 10 girls from North County High School who were chosen to attend a mentoring dinner hosted by Michelle Obama at the White House last week. “I like that it was a night honoring women. You always hear about successful businessmen like Bill Gates and I think it was good to have a night that was honoring [successful] women,” said junior Chakiera Shields. While the reason North County was one of the schools chosen to send representatives to the first lady’s Women’s History Month dinner isn’t clear, the girls were chosen for the leadership positions they hold in the school, said Renee Stout, site coordinator for North County’s AVID and Science, Technology Engineering …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (5)