Lacey Township Eighth Graders to Learn Engineering Skills Through Grant Program

One day a week after school for 10 weeks this school year, Lacey Township eighth grade students, for the first time, will have an opportunity to work on a project to build and utilize an underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV), funded by a Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) grant.

The $5,000 grant was award by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), part of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. The Lacey Township Board of Education signed an Educational Partnership Agreement with NAVAIR in 2008, making Lacey eligible for the grant program, according to Lacey Township High School physics teacher John Kuzan.

“Students need to be exposed to these type of activities and programs,” said Kuzan. “Not many students know what a career in science or engineering is all about. This experience will help the student to decide what classes or path they may want to pursue.”

The program, which will be taught by Kuzan and Lacey Township Middle School science teacher Michael Haughwout, is called SeaPerch, sponsored by the Office of Naval Research in the U.S. Department of Defense.

According to the SeaPerch website, students will learn “very important engineering and design skills and will be exposed to all the exciting careers that are possible in Naval Engineering, Naval Architecture, and Ocean and Marine Engineering, just to name a few. Most of all, the SeaPerch project is designed to be fun while also building teamwork and inspiring young minds."

Both teachers attended a SeaPerch training program at the U.S. Naval Academy in Maryland this past summer, said Kuzan.

“This articulation between both schools will hopefully create a strong interest in our middle school students to pursue an awarding and challenging curriculum at the high school level,” said Kuzan, who also co-teaches a Gifted and Talented after-school class for fifth to eighth graders focusing on the design process and engineering principles.

“Personally, I feel there is a lack of a strong science and engineering path for our students in Ocean County, which I hope to change,” he said.

Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce released a report earlier this year, “What’s it Worth: The Economic Value of College Majors.” Eight of the top 10 highest-earning majors were in engineering fields.

“Engineering skills are problem-solving skills,” said Kuzan, a Material Science Engineer who left engineering to pursue teaching. “Regardless of the path you take, your ability to solve problems, innovate and apply knowledge is necessary in any successful endeavor.”

The 2011 STEM Education NAVAIR grant is “designed to increase innovation in science, technology, engineering and math programs for students in fourth through twelfth grades in Ocean and Burlington Counties.”

Through the ongoing partnership with NAVAIR, high school and middle school students have toured their facilities, including engineering laboratories, manufacturing, prototyping and testing; high school students have career shadowed with NAVAIR’s civilian engineers; and NAVAIR provided judges for the high school’s annual science fair, said Kuzan.