NORWIN SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS

Sebastian Pratt

Raychel Testa

Jacob Iwinski

ReidAnn Sever

Hunter Stecko

Isha Vyas

46 Norwin

SECONDARY GIFTED / Secondary Options Are Realized ( SOAR ) Gifted Coordinators Present Additional Educational Opportunities Secondary SOAR students have experienced several educational opportunities for summer governor schools and travel , including the following :

• University of Pittsburgh : Sebastian Pratt has applied to attend the Pennsylvania Governor ’ s School for Global and International Studies .

• Peru : Sebastian Pratt has also applied to attend the Youth Ambassadors Program with South America ( YAPSA ), a program of the U . S . Department of State , Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs , administered by Amizade .

• Carnegie Mellon University : Raychel Testa has applied to attend the Pennsylvania Governor ' s School for the Sciences ( PGSS ).

• Germany : Jacob Iwinski has applied to attend the Congress- Bundestag Vocational Youth Exchange Program .

Duquesne Model United Nations club ( DUQMUN ) 2017 Thirty-two students represented Norwin High School at the Model United Nations Council on January 27 , 2017 . Out of the 32 students , 16 students belong to the secondary gifted program . Dr . Connie DeMoreSavine and Ms . Ciminy St . Clair , who serve as gifted coordinators at Norwin Middle School and Norwin High School , assisted the group ’ s advisor , Mrs . Larissa Sturm , at the event . Model United Nations is an authentic simulation of the UN General Assembly or UN Security Council , and introduces students to the world of diplomacy , negotiation , and decision making . ReidAnn Sever received a trophy to signify her “ outstanding ” delegation representing Spain . The “ outstanding ” ranking correlates to a first place prize in the United Nations Security Council Committee . She was judged on her ability to remain in character , formal in-session debate , informal debate , ability to accomplish national objectives and overall diplomacy . The students have two more Model UN Conferences on March 21st and April 19th .

National Academic Quiz Team Competition ( NAQT ) Norwin High School hosted the National Academic Quiz Team Competition on February 4 , 2017 . Senior Andrew Halza organized the event with assistance from Norwin High School Teacher Mr . Kevin Chitester and Ms . St . Clair . Twenty-two teams competed at the event representing the western region . Thirty-seven gifted students from Norwin participated . Approximately 90 students competed in eight rounds of competition play . This was the first NAQT event held within Westmoreland County . The hope is to make the event an annual tradition . Erin Crust , Hunter Stecko , Matthew Bushik , and Jared Ackerman placed third in team competition , while Hunter Stecko placed in the top ten individual scorers .

Technology Enrichment

On February 6 and 7 , 2017 , 12 gifted middle schoolers who have demonstrated an advanced understanding of how to use technology were provided an opportunity to work alongside Mr . Peter Berger , a software engineer for Apple . The students learned core concepts that all software engineers must understand , and worked both individually and collaboratively to engineer a video game . By the end of the two-day enrichment workshop , students were eager to showcase their work . They not only learned the basics of computer programming , but they also learned how to individualize their product by drawing upon their unique talents and strengths .

Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science ( PJAS ) Contest Isha Vyas , an eighth-grade student in the gifted program , presented her study , Glucometers : Accuracy versus Price , at the

Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science Competition held at Duquesne University on February 4 , 2017 . Not only was Isha awarded first place in the Junior Biochemistry Division , but she also will be competing at the state level when she ventures to Penn State in May . Good luck , Isha !

ELEMENTARY GIFTED / Seminar of Early Advanced Learners ( SEAL ) Grades 5 & 6 : Intermediate School SEAL students have been busy learning about 3-D printing . They have been creating designs to print on the classroom ’ s 3-D printer – including new hall passes to be used in the cafeteria .

Students are also finishing a unit on Newton ’ s 3rd Law of Motion . They have designed and launched balloon rockets to share what they have learned . The balloon rockets have been adjusted to carry payloads from a starting point to a finish line . The students have been using the engineering design process to tweak and improve their designs .

Finally , the students have been participating in service projects this year . They have sponsored a school wide pull tab collection for the Ronald McDonald House and collected more than 80 pounds . They also baked and donated cookies to Meals on Wheels . Currently , they are planning a Mardi Gras-themed spaghetti dinner for the residents in Irwin Manor . These service projects allow the students to strengthen their soft skills such as leadership , communication and interpersonal relationships .

K-4 : K-4 SEAL students gifted have been studying engineering and design and applying those skills to create inventions . They used the engineering design process to build bridges of various materials that could withstand given weights . Then , they learned to use the Lego WeDo kits to build moveable projects with gears , pulleys , wheels , and axles . Once they mastered those activities , they were able to design new drawbridges that open and close with motion sensors and then use computer programming to do specific tasks .

The students also used LittleBits , which are color-coded electronic building blocks . Certain input devices such as buttons , switches , pressure sensors , and sound sensors combined with output devices such as buzzers , fans , and lights , to make their imaginations come to life . The elementary are students are now starting to build with K-Nex . They are challenged to make a new eco-friendly amusement park ride that runs with at least one motor . Later in March , one team will represent Norwin at a K-Nex competition .

Contributors : Ms . Ciminy St . Clair , High School – Coordinator , Case Manager - Grade 10 Dr . Connie DeMoreSavine , Secondary Gifted Education Coord . / Case Manager grades 7-9 Mrs . Paula Giran , Grades 5-6 Coordinator , Gifted Case Manager Ms . Trisha R . Brunazzi , Elementary Coordinator , Case Manager -Grades K-4