the stentorian | ncssm
news
may 2014
Food Trucks take over NCSSM
By Sierra Dunne
In recent years, food trucks
have become a staple in the,
dining scene of Durham.
The city is characterized by
vehicles large and small,
selling a variety of delicious
foods at the farmer’s market.
Oval Park, and at lots of other
places and events.
Now, these trucks are
making an, appearance on
campus. Each Wednesday
night, a different food truck
is invited to come and serve
students at night before check.
SLI Sue Anne Lewis and
teacher Taylor Gibson are
the brains behind this new
operation. Gibson was the
first to bring trucks to campus
for his Mini-Term, Farm to
Fork, which was focused on
sustainable agriculture and
local food around Durham.
Their final project brought
three trucks to campus, all of
which were very successful
with the students.
Gibson was the first to bring
food trucks to campus, when
The Bang Bang Banh Mi truck is one of several that have come
to campus this year.
his sustainable agriculture
Mini-Term, Farm to Fork,
brought three trucks as a part
of their final campus.
Later in the trimester, Lewis
brought more food trucks to
campus for the annual NCSSM
food drive. These trucks were
met with mutual excitement
from the students, and the
vendors made a lot of sales.
Gibson and Lewis both
realized the success that the
trucks would have if they came
to Smath on a regular basis, so
they met with Vice Chancellor
Barber and arranged a policy
so that the trucks can come
every Wednesday.
The food trucks have only
been coming for a few weeks,
but Lewis says that so far their
g endeavor has proved
8 very successful. “The
1 vendors have been
2 extremely happy
' E with the turnout so
l;^ far. We usually get
\ ° between 80 and 100
2 students eaeh time,
11 and the students are
I o vocal about their
enthusiasm. They
often come up to me and
Mr. Gibson to thank us
for the new food options
on campus.”
Not only do these
trucks give students
the opportunity to
have more food options than
ordering out allows, but it also
allows students to discover a
unique and growing part of
Durham.
“Since students don’t have
cars,” said Gibson, “it allows
them to eat fresh food and
local ingredients, which many
of the trucks use. For instance.
Will and Pop’s bread comes
from a-local Durham bakery,
so by supporting these trucks
you’re really supporting a lot
of local places.”
Beyond just supporting
local farms, restaurants, and
stores, buying food from these
trucks can also help support
NCSSMalumni.
The Dump Pho King truck
is owned by two alumni from
the class of 2006.
Also, First Hand Foods, a
company which helps provide
local pasture-raised livestock
to restaurants and trucks, was
also started by alumni from
Science and Math.
The food trucks will
continue to be a regular
eampus occurrence next year,
and hopefully more trucks will
be added to the list.
“We are planning on having
them here not only during the
nights, but also do them during
events like Welcome Day or
orientation days,” said Gibson.
If you have any feedback
on the trucks, both Gibson and
Lewis encourage you to email
or talk to them and give them
your opinion.
NCSSM still active over summer
By Evan Brooks
On June 8, eight days after
Commencement, NCSSM will
begin to bustle with activity
as students from across the
world will arrive for a summer
of scientific discovery and
research.
A new summer program
is the NCSSM Accelerator
program. Accelerator is
the first fee-based summer
program offered by the school
Distance Education, Jamie
Lathan, Accelerator replaces
the NCSSM Online Summer
Symposium.
Jen Jenkins, the new
summer programs coordinator,
said students from as far away
as England, Puerto Rico, and
Hawaii have applied. She is
excited for the international
exposure NCSSM will receive.
With course offerings
ranging in topics from RNA
from the math, science, and
humanities departments to
develop and improve skills
critical for success.
Junior Jenyane Robinson
says that Summer Bridge really
prepared her for the challenges
that awaited her at NCSSM.
“We had homework and
required study hours during
Bridge and it really simulated
the SMath experience. I learned
valuable skills, such as time
management,
n living with a
= roommate, and
expounding on
^ my thoughts
Ebube Chuba carefully pipettes a sample into a test tube in a
biogeochemistry lab at North Carolina State University. Research
many options available at NCSSM during the summer.
that will allow for students interference
from around the world to
come to NCSSM to experience
unique, innovative, and high-
level courses.
The program will integrate
both residential, hands-on
learning and online education
to enhance student’s strengths
in advanced science and math
topics that promises to kick-
start college readiness and
career interests.
According to the Dean of
and genetic
cloning to the math of music
and forensic anthropology.
Accelerator promises to
increase NCSSM’s global
impact on educating future
leaders.
Another program NCSSM
offers in June is Summer
Bridge. It will bring incoming
juniors to the NCSSM campus
to prepare them for the
academic rigor of NCSSM by
working closely with faculty
lu of
•g just giving a
correct answer,
t I was glad
o to have the
chance to work
on these skills
before I moved
in for the school
year.”
In July, Step Up
to STEM brings
exceptional ris
ing freshmen from
across North Caro
lina for two weeks
to experience an
intensive interdis
ciplinary science,
math, biomedical
is one of engineering, and
writing curricu
lum.
The curriculum will allow
participants to develop a
research project over the
following school year and
present at NCSSM’s annual
Research Symposium.
Senior Courtney Bell is
returning to Step Up to STEM
to volunteer after graduation.
“I wanted to participate in
Step Up to STEM once more
because I enjoy meeting the
kids and watching them grow.
Being an ambassador for
the school, I want to bring a
positive image to them and
make a mark in their lives by
opening their minds to possibly
attending NCSSM.”
Also held in July, the
Summer Leadership and
Research Experience, . also
known as SLARE, allows for
incoming juniors of minority
backgrounds to be introduced
to the school and complete a
we'eklong research experience
at North Carolina State
University.
Junior Ebube Chuba
participated in SLARE last
year and conducted research in
biogeochemistry.
Chuba cites the experience
in the lab at NC State initiated
his interest in research and
inspired him to work on
multiple research projects
throughout the year.
“I really liked the group that
I worked with. I made great
connections with the group and
it was an experience unlike any
other.”
In addition, members of
the Class of 2015 will be
staying on campus throughout
the summer to either conduct
research on campus with
faculty or at nearby universities
and agencies in a wide variety
of disciplines and focuses.
However, life on campus
during the summer is not
all work like it is during the
school year.
Senior Seraphina Wong,
who stayed on campus to
conduct research this past
summer, would repeat her
experience here if she had
another chance.
“Life on campus during
the summer compared to the
regular school year is a lot
quieter, but of course there
aren’t as many people around.
The SLIs are really open to
suggestions for activities,
such as Cookout runs and
movie showings in the Lecture
Hall, and try to rnake them
happen. Aside from the great
experience from my research,
I got really close to the small
group of S Mathers that stayed
on campus and even met a few
online students,” said Wong.
the
stentorian
the north Carolina school of science and mathematics
1219 broad street, durham, nc 27705
Editors for 2014-2015
Editors-in-Chief:
Sierra Dunne, Betty Liu,
and Richard Ong
News: Caroline Liu
Features: Addy Liu
Opinions: Rebecca Liu
Sports: Katherine Wang
Graphics: Chichi Zhu