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X’OLUMEXXVIII I ISSUE ONE
The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
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AUGUST 2(X)7
Changes for School Year
By Edina Wang
Continuing their woik from end of the last school year,
SG is planning and working on many proposals and ideas.
Positions for this year’s executive cabinet and ju
dicial branch of SG have been filled in the 2006-2007
school year. The legislative branch, which includes the
nominated senators that have been appointed heads
of various committees, will be joined by four junior
senators and seven dormitory senators.
Through the school’s new membership with UN-
CASG, the University ofNorth Carolina Association of
Student Governments, a group of SG members attended
a House session in Raleigh to show support for House
Bill 893, which would provide for a student vote on the
UNC Board of Governors. It had passed in the House
and is now awaiting Senate approval. SG plans to send
out a letter to students on what it means for the school
to be an UNC constituent, the extra benefits, as well as
responsibilities the school has to uphold.
SG is currently in the negotiation phase of design
ing a Discoimt Card. The idea is to include discounts
for several 9th St./Broad St. restaurants and shops,
encouraging students explore Durham during the first
few months of school.
“So far it’s loddng pretty good. Next, I’ll have to negotiate
what the discount will be,” said Andrew Ngo, Treasuro'.
A new policy created this year of no late night in
vites will be addressed by Kim Vuong, Senator and
head of the Student Life Committee. Vuong plans
to write a proposal to negotiate around the new policy
and said, “I’m definitely looking forward to working
on the residential life committee.”
Just as proliferate. Senator Zach DelaRosa acquired
the school’s budget first thing after becoming head of the
Technology Committee. “I’ll be looking over this for the
next two weeks. Is it financially possible for the school
to conserve more?” spteculated DelaRosa.
DelaRosa is also on the subcommittee that
will address one of the issues many students
have wanted to change: getting internet access
back after 12 pm. The subcommittee. Learn
ing and Living Task Force, was created by the
administration. The committee’s members, which ^
include SG Senators DelaRosa and Vuong, will be
the ones deciding on this issue and not the adminis
tration. DelaRosa mentions his first shot will be for
internet access until 1a.m.
DelaRosa is also working on an energy audit, look
ing for ways to conserve energy. For the future Discov
ery Center, Chancellor Jerald Boarman has approved for
it to be as environmentally-ftiendly as possible.
Besides working on proposals, SG is sponsoring
upx;oming activities Club Fair and T-shirt Signing Dance,
which will occur on Saturday, August 25th. Ngo mentions
that students will have a couple of days after Club Fair to
Art by
Laura
Chao
decide if they would like to charter a new club.
In a flow chart sent to juniors depicting SG
branches, SG stated that its purpose is to advocate
what is in the best interests of the Student Body and
represent their interests.
DelaRosa mentions, “I like the transition of'
open communication between the administration
and student^government. Our school is developing
more friendly terms with the administration. Most
schools don’t have that.”
Students Leading in Science and Technoiogy
Thirteen NCSSMstudents spend two weeks exploring, learning at RENCI Summer Program
By Laura Chao
This past summer, thirteen NCSSM students led
the way by exploring technology and taking part in
the first Renaissance Computing Institute Summer
Program (RENCI). A cooperative, statewide virtual
venture ofNorth Carolina State University, UNC-
Chapel Hill and Duke University, the Renaissance
Computing Institute is active in creating and
working with Cutting edge computing, networking,
and data technologies. This summer was the first
time RENCI accepted NCSSM students for a
summer program.
The thirteen students, applied and selected,
spent a week at RENCI headquarters exploring new
technology and key concepts in biology, chemistry,
electronics, robotics and computer science. NCSSM
students attended advanced lectures led by RENCI
scientists, developers, researchers and engineers.
Afterwards, the skills and knowledge learned in
the lectures were put to the test by focusing on
real-world problems.
“The theme for RENCI this year was ‘disaster
management’. The first week I learned about using
various computer programs for chemistry and
biology. The second week, my group worked on
team case studies and modeled a chemical spill,”
said senior Melanie Fan, “Throughout the two
weeks we had many guest speakers and traveled to
places like IBM, Duke, and RTF”
Students concentrated on chemistry and biology
to identify chemical nerve agents, and focused
on computing and technology used in disaster
management.
I learned a lot of new things... really
exposed me to what their careers consist
of and the road they took to get where
they are today.” - Nlelanie Fan
“The focus of the program was split into two
groups — one that focused on building a robot
that would seek and spray out fires, and another
that worked on creating a mock bio-terror attacL
We were introduced to a ton of software over the
two weeks, which we incorporated into our final
presentation,” said senior Ray Wang.
Participants in the program gained invaluable
knowledge of sophisticated technology that is beyond
the scope of the normal high school curriculum. Special
university and industry days were planned as an addition
to the program and the NCSSM students were introduced
to various career and academic opportunities.
“We were the first group, so a lot of stuff
wasn’t the most well-thought out,” said Wang, “but
I did learn a lot about random software. There was
a lot of information.”
Graduating NCSSM students may one day lead
in the fields promoted and represented by the RENCI
Summer Program.
“I would definitely recommend this summer
program to NCSSM students interested in learning
how technology can be applied to science and about
the various careers available in a science-related
field. I learned a lot of new things, especially from
the guest speakers. They really exposed me to what
their careers consist of and the road they took to get
where they are today,” said Fan.
For the time being, juniors should stay on
the look out for this and many other worthwhile
summer opportunities.
A Survival Guide
SCHOOL
for Juniors
JARGON
page 2
pages
NCSSM:
PAST AND PRESENT
page 3