STEM in the Upper School

By Caelum van Ispelen, Class of 2023

Saunter past Upper School room A-11 on Wednesdays at lunch and you will hear the rumbling gears of some fascinating minds.

Some days you'll listen to combinatorics; other times it might be hyperbolic trigonometry—or if you're lucky, the venerable Chicken McNugget theorem. But invariably, that classroom holds students exploring the reaches of mathematical knowledge that extend well beyond what is traditionally taught in school.

This is the Math Club: a group of students coming together to connect over mathematics and its enigmas. Led by senior Zachary Klein, with the guidance of seasoned math teacher Adella Croft, its five-year history has seen not only valuable connection and bonding over a shared interest, but also exceptional performances in national and international mathematics competitions.

Compared to the courses offered at school, the Math Club offers a much more varied perspective on mathematics. "We don't have a set agenda; we just do what interests us," said club president Zachary. For many students across all knowledge levels, this flexibility rekindles an appreciation for math's intrinsic beauty. "It's refreshing to think about a broader range of approaches to problems rather than peering through the same lens for the whole year, as would be the case in a class," said club member Caelum van Ispelen.

There's something meaningful in struggling with a problem and not managing to make progress. It's valuable exposure for everyone, and we learn how to deal with things that seem impossible.—Senior Zachary Klein, Math Club president

A primary goal of the club is to enrich people's appreciation for the creativity in math and problem-solving. Asked about the difference between competition and school math, Zachary said, "The main difference is your level of preparedness ... when you take a math test at school, you've already seen the same problems, just with different numbers." In competition math, he argues, none of the questions follow this pattern. "You're never going to see a problem you've seen before. You have the tools to solve them, but you have to figure out how to use those tools in a way that's almost unique to yourself and your identity."

Even students who might not find a use for the range of mathematical concepts covered in the Math Club still walk away with indispensable wisdom: the ability to fail. "There's something meaningful in struggling with a problem and not managing to make progress," said Zachary. "It's valuable exposure for everyone, and we learn how to deal with things that seem impossible."

As students leave for college and brace themselves for the much-increased challenge of its courses, this exposure will certainly come into play. In fact, many Math Club members are already experiencing university-level rigor in the form of the newly introduced Advanced Topics in Mathematics course. Faced with the complexities of percolation and group theory, these students find themselves remembering the Math Club wisdom in their struggle to persevere. "Doing competition math and taking tests where 25 percent is considered a good score definitely sparked my tenacity for challenging material," said Caelum.

Armed with a drive to connect to other math-minded people, the members of the Math Club are helping to spread their burgeoning knowledge to younger students as well. Zachary now leads Mission Math Utah, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating awareness and appreciation for STEM topics across elementary and middle school students. Remarking on the organization's no-questions-asked financial aid policy for tutoring and competitions, Zachary said, "I've heard from people how thankful they are for the easy financial aid, and it lets them discover more math. That's really meaningful to me."

Senior Zachary Klein and juniors Dean Hijjawi, Sophie Zheng, and Isabelle Jiang ranked in the top 5 percent of American Mathematics Contest test takers, qualifying for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME). This success marks the second-highest number of AIME-qualifying students from any school in Utah in 2023—as well as the fourth year in a row Rowland Hall students have performed at this level.

Beyond the Math Club's success in spreading creativity, the 2022–2023 school year has been no exception to the students' prowess in nationally renowned competitions. After periods of intense studying, wrestling through heaps of problems and scratch paper, students in the Math Club participated in the American Mathematics Contest (AMC), an immensely competitive exam that demands the most creative and intricate problem-solving skills. In a stellar performance, senior Zachary Klein and juniors Dean Hijjawi, Sophie Zheng, and Isabelle Jiang ranked in the top 5 percent of AMC test takers, qualifying for the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME). This success marks the second-highest number of AIME-qualifying students from any school in Utah in 2023—as well as the fourth year in a row Rowland Hall students have performed at this level.

On top of this astounding achievement, students from the Math Club participating in the American Regional Mathematics League (ARML) are performing phenomenally as well. With their participation, the Utah team won first place in the ARML Power international competition in 2022. The team was then invited to travel to Boston where they competed in the Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament. In the team round, they ranked seventh place in the nation.

Given this legacy of achievement and contributions spread throughout the past five years, the Math Club will continue to thrive. And with Zachary graduating this year, it will be up to the younger generations of students to take the helm—and they are well prepared.

Student Voices

Dr. Sophie Janes ’12 remembers when she first realized she could have a career in STEM.

“I was in Mr. Hayes’ ninth-grade biology class and it just clicked for me,” she said. “I realized I really liked science.”

Dr. Janes is now an OB/GYN resident at the University of Utah, and she returned to Rowland Hall’s Lincoln Street Campus on March 17 to talk to current students about how they, too, can find a place in science, tech, engineering, and math—or STEM.

We want students to see themselves reflected in different role models and in different fields. We want them to know they can successfully navigate career pathways they are passionate about.—Dr. Chandani Patel, director of equity and inclusion

Dr. Janes, a representative from the medical field, was one of the speakers who attended the school’s first annual The Future of STEM: A Symposium with Local Innovators event, a program held in honor of Women’s History Month. She was joined by physician Dr. Tricia Petzold (medicine) and mathematics professor Dr. Priyam Patel (math), as well as teachers Ben Smith ’89 (computer science), Dr. Padmashree Rida (biology), and Christian Waters (technology); Great Salt Lake Institute Coordinator Carly Biedul (environmental science) was also scheduled to attend, though she had to cancel due to illness. The event was set up so students could meet with women currently working in STEM, learn about various career paths, and find out how to get started on their own pathways to STEM careers, while also supporting peers along the way. The event’s keynote speaker, tech CEO and incoming Rowland Hall Board Chair Sarah Lehman, advised the group to “get comfortable with the uncomfortable,” to not be afraid to stake their claims in fields that interest them, and, when faced with challenges, to "focus on what is important to you and let other things roll off."

The symposium included a goal of encouraging historically underrepresented individuals to pursue their interests in STEM fields, including seeking out mentors who are doing work that is exciting to them. One of the sessions was on how women can navigate these fields, while another explored how to be an ally and make STEM more inclusive to a variety of people. “We want students to see themselves reflected in different role models and in different fields,” said Dr. Chandani Patel, director of equity and inclusion. “We want them to know they can successfully navigate career pathways they are passionate about.” 

Dr. Patel said the STEM symposium was only the first of what she hopes will be many events aimed at bringing community leaders and professionals to the school to share with students career options and opportunities the students may not have even considered. Events like these underscore the importance of building strong partnerships to create learning opportunities, both in and out of the classroom.

“I am so glad to be able to help show them what’s possible and what steps they need to take,” said Dr. Janes. “I want them to be brave and make  the most of the opportunities available to them.”

STEM

Robots are really cool.

When you think of a robot competition, you probably picture Battle Bots, with machines bent on destruction. But in reality, robotics competitions are about showcasing the work of the creators. Can these machines work independently? Can they follow commands in real time? It doesn’t sound exciting, but every person in the room is on the edge of their seat. Cool.

The cool factor is the first thing any member of the Rowland Hall Robotics Club wants you to know. Building a robot for competition allows these students to start with an idea and watch it come to life. They take it from the design phase to building and testing, then through competing and troubleshooting. They use mechanics, mathematics, engineering, computer-aided modeling, 3D printing, intelligent and inspired design, prototyping, and other tools to reach their goals. And through it all, they are the ones calling the shots. All while playing with robots.

This is student-led and student-run. It’s a collaborative effort of a community of students to set and reach their goals.—Ben Smith ’89, computer science department chair and teacher

“This is student-led and student-run,” said Ben Smith ’89, computer science department chair and teacher, and robotics coach. “It’s a collaborative effort of a community of students to set and reach their goals.”

Rowland Hall has had some sort of robotics program since 2012 (Alex Beaufort ’13, a current coach, was one of the first members), but the club officially started in 2019. There were only three students in the club that year, but they still competed at the state tournament and took home prizes. Things have only gotten better since then. Now, roughly 18 students make up the club, and they have built two robots that they take to competitions around the state.

The students aren’t just responsible for the robots, though. As Ben said, this club is student-directed and student-run by design. That means the students also have to do the marketing, the fundraising, the publicity, the event planning, and handle the logistics when they travel. Those responsibilities, coupled with the knowledge required to build the robots, mean one skill is central to making it all happen: communication.

“Communication is critical,” said Alex. “They have to learn how to communicate effectively and how to include everyone in those communications to make it a team. Otherwise, things don’t work out.”

“It teaches you assertive communication,” said tenth grader Anna Lui. “You need to be able to put your thoughts out there without being afraid of being rejected. It forces you to take initiative of your own part. Even if you don’t know how to do it, you need to try. You might surprise yourself with your ability.”

Expanding abilities is a central theme for every robotics team member. All of them are doing something outside of their comfort zone. Luckily, they have the support of their teammates. “We all try to help each other, and it’s amazing,” said tenth grader Evan Weinstein. “You have to support each other even when competing because the team you are competing against in one round could be your partner in the next.”

The fact that every student brings a different skill set to the team means they must support each other to succeed. There are no rock stars or prima donnas here. Every team member knows this is a unique opportunity they won’t find elsewhere. “Experience is gained in doing it,” said tenth grader Spencer Brady. “The only way to learn how to build robots is to build them.”

And though that robot building is what hooks the students on robotics, it’s clear that the subject is about so much more: building and refining skills like problem solving and computational thinking that will last the students a lifetime and prepare them to take on other challenges in college and their careers. While most of these students want to go into a computing or engineering field, even those who don’t know what they want to do or want to take a completely different path see long-term value in their robotics experiences. 

The robotics team is giving us skills we can use almost anywhere.—Omar Alsolaiman, class of 2024

“It is so fulfilling seeing something from start to finish, and learning to work on a team is amazing,” said eleventh grader Jack Campsen. Classmate Omar Alsolaiman, also in eleventh grade, added, “The robotics team is giving us skills we can use almost anywhere. We run the team essentially like a business or real engineering firm, so a lot of the skills will transfer to future jobs.” 

The skills even learned go beyond those used in educational, professional, and business arenas. Team members are building skills to help them become independent and well-rounded human beings, building blocks essential for becoming tomorrow’s leaders. “It’s not just the mechanical or engineering skills I’ve learned. It’s also about learning my own limits as a person,” added Evan.

And as the club grows, so does its impact on the school. It’s something Ben loves to see. “Robotics has a place at Rowland Hall because it asks students to do some of the hardest things they have to do,” he said. “I hope it’s as attractive and desired as other programs that we have, like dance or creative writing, and becomes enmeshed in our school culture in a similar manner.”

After all, robots are cool. As Coach Rob Lingstul said, “These kids are creating and producing some crazy awesome things.”

Keep up with the fun! Next month, Rowland Hall robotics students will visit Southern Utah University to attend the state robotics championship. Follow the two robots built by the club (Monochromats and Iron Lions) on social media.

STEM

Rowland Hall equips students with the skills and experiences they need to thrive in a dynamic world. We believe education is active, and that deep, authentic learning experiences engage students in powerful ways, enabling them to view themselves as innovators and creators. Our new vision and strategic priorities are helping to center and formalize this work, but it’s long been a part of the Rowland Hall experience, inspiring generations of students to pursue, create, and share knowledge both in and outside the classroom. In the past year alone, we’ve watched many of our young scientists and engineers, fueled by their personal passions, tackle real-world problems and offer innovative solutions designed to better our shared world. This fall, we’re spotlighting some of their stories. (Be sure to also check out "Ruchi Agarwal Named Runner-up in National Stockholm Junior Water Prize Competition," "Three Rowland Hall Students Place Fourth at International Science and Engineering Fair for Aviation Engine Design," and "Max Smart ’22 and Science Teacher Dr. Padmashree Rida Published in International Journal of Molecular Sciences.")

This piece is republished from Rowland Hall's 2021–2022 Annual Report.

There was a lot of buzz surrounding a poster presented this spring at the Materials Research Society (MRS) meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii. 

“Discovery of Structure-Property Relationships of Intercalated Graphite Compounds Using Machine Learning” had the potential to lead to major discoveries in the field. But that isn’t what had people talking. It was that those presenting the poster weren’t researchers or professors, but four teenagers from Salt Lake City, Utah.

They were the only high school students there. People were very confused and very impressed.—Tascha Knowlton, Upper School science teacher

Rowland Hall seniors Tyler Gerstein, Ford Hodgkins, Samantha Lehman, and Olive Milavetz, along with science teacher Tascha Knowlton and University of Utah associate professor (and former Rowland Hall teacher) Dr. Kaci Kuntz, traveled to the conference to present findings from the school’s research science class, now in its second year.

“They were the only high school students there,” said Tascha. “People were very confused and very impressed. They were taken aback—some of them literally stepped back when they found out how old they were.”

The students’ work isn’t typical for high schoolers. They started their journey with document reviews, an undertaking that isn’t very exciting but is the bedrock of most scientific discoveries. They went through thousands of pages of research on the properties of graphite sheets—or graphene—to learn all they could about how they react with other compounds. “It was a lot of data mining and very time-consuming,” said Tascha. “They might go through multiple papers and only find one small piece of data worth using.”

The document reviews were just the tip of the iceberg. The students then took that data and dove into code writing and machine learning software to predict how the graphene would react to other unknown compounds. Would it take electrons from them or donate electrons to them? And what would the movement of those electrons do? The more they worked with the software, the more accurate the predictions became.

“We were able to predict color changes in the graphene depending on the compound placed between the sheets,” said Samantha. “It’s cool because color is an electric optical property.”

We got a lot of experience doing scientific writing. I got some coding experience, and we had to figure out machine learning. Then on top of all that, we had to navigate presenting our work to professionals in the field. We got to experience a range of activities in the scientific spectrum.—Samantha Lehman, class of 2022

There is still more work to do, though, and it will be carried on by students at Rowland Hall in 2022–2023. They will take the data gathered and the predictions made this year and begin to look at how these compounds may be useful and how to engineer them for various purposes. “Graphite is the most stable form of carbon and very lightweight,” said Tascha. “It could be used in building batteries, or in touch screens. There are some possible medical applications. Lots of possibilities.”

While the students who presented at the MRS conference won’t be actively working on the project full time anymore, that doesn’t mean they are completely walking away. “We can come back in to help in any way we can, or be a mentor to younger students,” said Samantha. “It’s cool because the involvement is whatever I want it to be.”

Beyond the scope of the project, the students can take the lessons they learned into new educational and career opportunities. They left high school with many skills most don’t acquire until college, or even graduate school. “We got a lot of experience doing scientific writing. I got some coding experience, and we had to figure out machine learning,” said Samantha. “Then on top of all that, we had to navigate presenting our work to professionals in the field. We got to experience a range of activities in the scientific spectrum.”

It wouldn’t be unlikely to see some, if not all, of these amazing budding scientists presenting at many conferences to come.

Authentic Learning