Ramona Convent Students Set the Bar High with Innovative Engineering Course



L-R: Reyna Chavez, Jessica Nunez, Katherine Miranda
L-R: Jessica Nunez, Reyna Chavez

Students in the Engineering course at Ramona recently completed a project that will benefit a multitude of courses in the STEM department. Students were assigned the task of designing and building Lexan* glass box covers that will be used to protect the chemical weighing stations that will be used by Chemistry students. Freshman Vanessa Gomez shared that “Precision in length and measurement was a critical element of this assignment and of future projects that we will collaborate on.” Before students began the project, they were given a crash course on the importance of safety in the classroom, since throughout the year they will be using various tools such as jigsaws, sanders, hand saws, and drill presses. When asked about her thoughts on using power tools, senior Ashley Torrecillas said that “women typically aren’t exposed to power tools in a regular class, so it’s very empowering to know that Ramona students are able to compete in the field of Engineering free of gender-related roadblocks.”

This course introduces students to the many different education and career paths in the STEM environment that they can follow after graduation. This experience so far has been great for many including Senior Katherine Miranda, who is considering a career in Architecture. The skills and knowledge she will obtain from the course will give her a competitive advantage in the industry.

Maeve Estrada

Their next project will be to build solar stations to give students, faculty, and staff the ability to charge various electronic devices on campus with the help of solar power. Students will use Google SketchUp for the design-and-build process of these solar stations. Funding for solar stations was awarded through a grant by Toshiba Foundation. Students are excited about integrating Engineering and Technology and are especially looking forward to more innovative fun with power tools!

This year, Ramona Convent, the all-girls, private high school is celebrating 125 years of academic excellence, spiritual depth, and dynamic leadership. The first official celebration will be on Saturday, October 4, 2014 at 4:00 p.m., when Archbishop Jose Gomez will celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving. All are welcome for this festive occasion.

*Lexan is a name for a sheet of polycarbonate resin that is generally considered to be a shatterproof material. Though still technically a plastic, Lexan is stronger and more durable than either traditional glass or the plastic Plexiglas, and it is used in situations where extra survivability of the material is considered worth the extra cost, such as “bulletproof” windows in police stations or armored vehicles.

Ramona Convent Secondary School, 1701 West Ramona Rd., Alhambra, (626) 282-4151 or visit www.ramonaconvent.org.

Renata Becerra

 

 

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