By Tracey Taylor - St. Brendan HS
Photographer: COURTESY PHOTO
St. Brendan High STEM and Medical Sciences students pose for a group photo in front of the doors of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC.
MIAMI | The STEM and Medical Sciences academies of St. Brendan High traveled to Washington D.C. in April for experiences related to their academic fields, as well as sightseeing throughout the nation's capital.
Students from the STEM academy attended the fourth annual USA Science and Engineering Festival. At the event, students engaged in hands-on STEM activities, saw the latest innovation in robotics and had the opportunity to speak to representatives from STEM college programs and corporations.
STEM Academy Co-Director Aileen Escarpio said of the trip that it “provided students with learning opportunities beyond the four walls of the classroom and allowed them to interact with other students who share their passion for STEM.”
The STEM group also toured The Catholic University of America with Tau Beta Pi (Engineering Honor Society) President Ben Pesante, who gave them insight about his experience studying biomedical engineering and the advantage of attending a Catholic university. STEM students also played tourist in the city, visiting the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, the Capitol Building, Ford’s Theatre and The White House.
Meanwhile, St. Brendan Medical Sciences academy students toured the National Institutes of Health Medical Center and some of their research labs. They listened to a short panel from post-baccalaureate students and medical school students on how to choose a major in college, as well as how to prepare for and apply to medical school, and the importance of research in medicine.
The experience was made possible by Elizabeth Jordan, St. Brendan class of 2011, who has been working in a genomics research lab for the past year. She will soon be attending the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
Students also visited George Washington University’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences where they witnessed the intricacies of an actual medical school.
Medical Sciences academy students also did some sightseeing, touring the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History as well as the National Museum of Health and Medicine. They saw the Capitol Building, the White House and even visited the National Zoological Park before heading home.
“I am so pleased with the experience that we were able to provide our students and hope it was able to inspire their pursuit of a career in the medical field,” said Vicky Chacon, director of the Medical Sciences Academy.
Although STEM and Medical Sciences students experienced Washington D.C. in different ways, they attended Mass together at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, spending time afterwards to see the artwork and architecture that makes the Basilica a site of many Catholic pilgrimages. The students also gathered for a nighttime tour of the historic monuments of the city.
