2017 - 2018 CSO Overview

Leadership Training Institute

In the first year of the Great Lakes Bay Region Chief Science Officers Program, 53 middle and high school students representing 21 schools and 12 districts met at Saginaw Valley State University for the launch of the CSO Program. On August 22 and 23, 2017, the Chief Science Officers began a new initiative in the region connected to the national CSO model started in Arizona. Students learned about the goals of the program and how they can utilize that knowledge to spread STEM awareness in their schools and communities.

Participating school districts:

Bangor Township School District, Bay City Public Schools, Bridgeport-Spaulding Community Schools, Carrollton Public Schools, Freeland Community Schools, Lutheran Schools, Missouri Synod (St. John’s Lutheran School and Valley Lutheran High School), Midland Public Schools, Saginaw City School District, Saginaw Intermediate School District (Great Lakes Bay Early College), Saginaw Township Community Schools, and Swan Valley School District.

Action Plans

In the first year of the CSO Program, students jumped right in to make a difference in their schools and communities. CSOs created STEM presentations for their peers, performed STEMonstrations for elementary students, implemented STEM clubs in their schools, and hosted STEM career days and STEM family nights.

Cabinet Meetings

Chief Science Officers and advisors from throughout the Great Lakes Bay Region met for their fall Cabinet Meeting at a pretty “sweet” spot – the Michigan Sugar Company. CSOs enjoyed a field harvest tour, sugar processing tour, and a packaging tour. In addition to checking out what it really takes to produce 1 billion pounds of sugar in a single year, CSOs also discovered a wide variety of STEM jobs available at the company and learned more about genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

The winter Cabinet Meeting took place at Nexteer Automotive where Chief Science Officers enjoyed meeting STEM professionals and learned about engineering and advanced manufacturing career opportunities. Students and advisors also toured one of the automotive plants to compare automated assembly lines with traditional manual assembly lines.

During the spring of 2018, CSOs and advisors traveled to the Midland County Historical Society for a Cabinet Meeting with Dow. The trip included rotations with Dow professionals representing a wide variety of STEM fields such as Computer Science, Engineering, Chemistry, and more. The day also included tours of H.H. Dow’s historical laboratory and a discussion of his patents and production methods used to extract bromine from brine.

Celebration

At the yearly CSO Celebration, all CSOs are recognized for their accomplishments in their schools and communities. Special recognition is given to the students, advisors, and community partners who went above and beyond to spread STEM awareness and ensure the success of the CSO program in the Great Lakes Bay Region.

2017-18 GLBR Cabinet Awardees:

Innovative CSO Award: Carissa M (Martin G. Atkins Middle School)

Innovative CSO Team: Anthony O, Brynn K, Mackenzie J, Yifan J, and Mr. Jurek (John Glenn High School)

Outstanding CSO Advisor: Mrs. Connie Kennedy (T.L. Handy Middle School and Bay City Central High School)

Outstanding CSO Industry Mentor: Mr. Shawn Maison, (science educator at John Glenn High School)

Outstanding CSO Industry Mentor: Mrs. Allison VanDriessche, (science educator at Bay City Western Middle School)

Master CSOs: Anthony O and Mackenzie J (John Glenn High School)

Master CSO Team: Logan K, Emily J, Hudson H, and advisor Mr. Craig Coopersmith (Carrollton High School)

Master CSO Advisor: Mr. Jacob Lounsbury (Martin G. Atkins Middle School)