IN THIS ISSUE

UPCOMING DATES OF NOTE
 
For more information on upcoming events, visit the Tesla STEM PTSA calendar page.
            
Updated Calendar Items

JUNE 4 - 8 - Senior Finals
JUNE 13 - Graduation
JUNE 15, 18, 19 - Second Semester Finals (subject to
 change if we have weather-related make up days)

Please Note:  We do not give early finals.  Please plan accordingly...thank you!!

ASB Events

ASB events are advertised by students, for students.  

Please remind your student to check the ASB calendar posted in the school or look on the  Tesla STEM HS website  for the most current information. 

ASB may opt to send announcements to this newsletter for inclusion, but it is not their primary source of communication.



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eNewsletter
WEEK OF  MARCH 19 - 23, 2018 
Principal's Message
 

SpaceX STEM Professionals at Tesla STEM
Earlier this week, 150 of our Tesla STEM scholars were invited to attend a panel discussion/presentation with 5 SpaceX STEM professionals. The presenters were wonderful, smart, funny, and very informative as each professional told her story of her pathway to STEM fields and ultimately to SpaceX. Their words of advice regarding the power of education, perseverance, hard work, and finding one's passion truly resonated with all our Tesla scholars. "Don't wait around for an opportunity; go after it. Don't' be afraid to fail. Try new things. Take the steps that get you closer to your dreams. Stick with it!!"
Powerful words of advice. Thank you, SpaceX!!
 
Central Sound Regional Science and Engineering Fair
From Tesla STEM Instructor, Ms. Kate Allender...
Please congratulate our scholars on a tremendous showing at CSRSEF last Saturday. Students raked in 30 awards, and even if they did not receive a prize, they put forth a huge amount of time and effort, and some also produced award-winning, innovative research, in my opinion.
 
The following students received the following awards:
 
Behavioral and Social Sciences  (BEHA)  Note: there were two second places due to high number of competitors in this category
1st place: Catherine Benson, The Effects of Changing Behavioral Tendencies Toward a Person with Schizophrenia or Psychosis NOS
 
2nd place : Claire Whiteside, Perceived Credibility of Political Advertisements on Facebook
 and
2nd Place : Kyra Bethune, Incorporation of Self-Esteem Enhancement Strategies in Social Media
 
Honorable Mention:  Toma Itagaki and Eric Yin, Determining the Effects of Psychological States on High Schooler's Performance in Chess
 
Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Microbiology (CELL)
1st place:  Sarah Suhy, Siderocalin and Its Interactions with Adipocytes
 
2nd place : Eudoxie Hudry and Nisha Thottam, Improving the Production of the Anti-Cancer Drug Paclitaxel Through Biosynthesis in Bacteria
 
Biomedical Engineering, Material Science (ENBM)
1st place:  Ishika Mukherjee and Eesha Murali, Viability of Urinary Polyamine levels as a Preliminary Test for Cancer
 
Honorable Mention: Sarah Berg, Dielectric Elastomers in 3-D Printed Prosthetic Fingers
 
Biomedical and Health Sciences (BMED), Translational Medicine (TMED) and Chemisty (Chem)
2nd place: Sashwatha Shankar, Generating a Machine Learning Model to Determine the Metastatic Potential of Lung Cancer Tumors
 
Computational Biology & Bioinformatics (CBIO)
3rd place : Amrita Narasimhan, Applying Machine Learning Techniques for Identification of Discriminative Biomarkers
 
Earth and Environmental Sciences (ENEV)  Note: there were two honorable mentions due to high number of competitors in this category
Honorable Mention : Ritika Iyer, The Application of Infrared Thermography to Architecture to Identify Heat-Emitting Building Materials
and
Honorable Mention:  Betty Park and Emma Draper, The Study of Air Quality Conditions in Relation to Renal Transplants Through a Data Analysis Approach 
 
Embedded Systems, Robotics and Intelligent Machines (ROBO)
1st place:  Neha Hulkund, MRI Multiple Sclerosis Lesion Segmentation Using Deep Learning
 
3rd place:  Jack Tribolet and Yukito Shida, Generating Haptic Feedback Based Upon Calculated Data and User Information
 
Engineering Mechanics (ENMC),  Environmental Engineering (ENEV)
2nd place : William Wang , Drones Optimized Through Neural Networks for Reconnaissance and Imaging of Martian Environments
 
Honorable Mention:  Niranjan Sahi and Aditya Balasubramanian, Augmented Malleability in Pipeline Joints for Improved Resistance to Seismic Ground Forces
 
Physics and Astronomy (PHYS), Mathematics (Math)
1st place:  Aashna Sheth, The Application of Microwave Satellite to the Statistical Hurricane Intensity Prediction Scheme (SHIPS)
 
Systems Software
2nd place : Jeremy Yang, Pop Dungeon
 
Special Category Awards:
Tableau Award:  Claire Whiteside, Perceived Credibility of Political Advertisements on Facebook
and
Aashna Sheth, The Application of Microwave Satellite to the Statistical Hurricane Intensity Prediction Scheme (SHIPS)
 
Excellence in Scientific Research ($500):  Ritika Iyer, The Application of Infrared Thermography to Architecture to Identify Heat-Emitting Building Materials
 
NASA Earth Systems Science Award:  Betty Park and Emma Draper, The Study of Air Quality Conditions in Relation to Renal Transplants Through a Data Analysis Approach 
 
Recipient of $1000 Bellevue College scholarship:  Sam Thornton, Making Self-Regulation Tools Available to All Students
 
Association for Women Geoscientist's Award : Aashna Sheth, The Application of Microwave Satellite to the Statistical Hurricane Intensity Prediction Scheme (SHIPS)
 
Intel Award, Excellence in Computer Science ($200):   Neha Hulkund, MRI Multiple Sclerosis Lesion Segmentation Using Deep Learning
 
American Chemical Society (ACS) Prize:  Ishika Mukherjee and Eesha Murali, Viability of Urinary Polyamine levels as a Preliminary Test for Cancer
 
American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics Award :  William Wang , Drones Optimized Through Neural Networks for Reconnaissance and Imaging of Martian Environments
 
Supernova Awards:  Claire Maurer, Encoding Quantifiable Data for Nose-to-Finger Test with Essential Tremor
 
American Meteorological Society Award : Aashna Sheth, The Application of Microwave Satellite to the Statistical Hurricane Intensity Prediction Scheme (SHIPS)
 
US Metric Associations Award : Niranjan Sahi and Aditya Balasubramanian, Augmented Malleability in Pipeline Joints for Improved Resistance to Seismic Ground Forces
 
 

PBL Internship Presentation
Last Wednesday, students in the Entrepreneurship Internship presented their work as a culmination of their PBL work with Fulbright Scholar James Riggall, the Managing Director at Bitlink.
Student teams worked with designing a concept for a VR/AR project which focused on one of four domains:  
  • International Business/Collaboration
  • STEM Education in Remote/Disadvantaged Communities
  • Sustainability
  • Crisis management/Disaster Response
 
Students focused on Startup 101 skills: lean startup, business model canvas, design thinking, and pitching. Further, James Riggall received a generous offer from HTC Vive to put together a panel of experts for the students to pitch to and get feedback from at the end of the program.  Per Mr. Riggall, "HTC Vive make one of the most popular VR headsets on the market today, and there's really nobody better to give feedback on VR project concepts and pitches the HTC Vive team." Thank you to both James and the Vive team for the incredible PBL Internship!!
 
  
Mark Your Calendars
Spring Break - April 2 through April 6
End of 3 rd Qrt - April 13
 

Please Note:
To date, we have one snow day to make up. District past practice is to schedule weather-related make-up day(s) at the end of the school year. As per all of our school communications, second semester final exam dates and last day of school get adjusted for scholars in grades 9, 10, and 11. Senior dates, including graduation, remain unchanged. Please note that semester finals for grades 9 - 11 will be scheduled now on June 18, 19, and 20. We do not give early finals for any reason. If by chance we have more weather-related school closure days, we will then adjust semester final dates again. Thank you!!
 
GO STEM!!  

Attention Class of 2018: LWPTSA Council Scholarships Available
 
The Lake Washington Schools Foundation (LWSF) is funding two additional LWPSTA Council scholarships < Scholarships LWPTSA Council 2018> this year for $10,000 each! One recipient will be selected from the LWPTSA Council Perseverance or Turn Around scholarship applicants, and a second recipient will be selected from the LWPTSA Council Merit or Education scholarship applicants. This is in addition to the $1,250 scholarships funded by LWPTSA Council:
 
*             8 Merit scholarships - 2 per Learning Community*
*             2 Education scholarships
*             1 Perseverance scholarship
*             1 Turn Around scholarship
*             L.E. Scarr 2 year scholarship, technical or vocational
*             1 At-Large scholarship
 
*     NEW: 2 LWSF Scholarships for $10,000 each
 
Students may apply for more than one scholarship, but only one will be awarded per student. Click here  http://www.lwptsa.net/lake-washington-ptsa-council-2018-scholarship-program-applications/ for more information and to download an application. Completed applications are due April 18th; early applications are welcome.
 
* LWSD students not attending one of the four neighborhood high schools apply for merit scholarships based on residence; so if a you live in the boundary area for Lake Washington HS, your Tesla STEM student will be considered for one of two Lake Washington Learning Community merit scholarships.
 

Seeking Leadership in Service of Our Scholars

It's the last few years before your child is college and career-bound...how are you feeling?
Maybe you're excited, nervous, and a little sad. Maybe you're wondering how to spend some of that precious time before their send-off into the world?
Picture this: Do it BIG. Do it in a way which benefits ALL Tesla STEM scholars, teachers, staff, and families. In other words, use your talents, your skills, and your personality to leave your own legacy with our very special school. How? Become a leader in the PTSA. We are excited to announce that we are talking to some great parents and guardians, just like you, about our 2018-2019 Board elected positions. We want to talk to you, too! Contact us at nomcomm@teslastemptsa.org.

These are the open positions for your consideration:
  • Co-President
  • Secretary or Co-Secretary
  • Co-Treasurer
  • Vice-President of Programs
  • Vice-President of Community Building
Nominating Form  If you or someone you know would be amazing in one of these roles, we'd like to hear from you! Yes, you can self-nominate! Kindly submit by March 20th.
Lost & Found
   
Please have your students check the Lost and Found in the main office for items they may have misplaced. Anything left behind on Friday, March 30 th will be donated to charity or tossed.
 
There are two flip-phones that have been in the office for a few months.
  
Prom Committee Fundraiser
 
The Prom Committee is selling Brown Bear car wash tickets for ONLY $5.00! Support our seniors and use the link to reserve your tickets:
 
 
Tickets will be available for pickup during lunch, while supplies last. This is organized by the senior class and is NOT a PTSA fundraiser.
 
Volunteer opportunity

Washington Technology Student Organization serves more than 7,000 middle and high school students in the state of Washington who are interested in careers in STEM-related fields. WSTA provides opportunities for students to explore careers through hands-on competitions and interaction with industry professionals. WTSA also provides leadership training and professional development opportunities to students. You can help Washington TSA by volunteering your time as an event judge during the 2018 State Conference, held March 22-24 at the Doubletree Seatac Hotel. The complete list of students can be found at:  
 
Senior Showcase

April 19
7:00 - 8:45 pm - Seniors, families and staff
8:00 - 8:45 pm - Community
 
Parents, staff, and family are invited to an evening celebrating the senior class.  The first 45 minutes will be a gathering to celebrate the seniors with music, poetry, and talks. During the second 45 minutes, after 8:00, the community will be welcome to join us for an opportunity to see the projects the seniors have worked on all year.
Volunteer as a competitive event judge and invest in Washington's future workforce

Meet tomorrow's business leaders. 
Please click in the link Tricreative WA FBLA for full information. Thank you!

Tissues needed

Classrooms are in need of tissues and we appreciate any donations. The boxes can be delivered to the office.  Thank you!
 
Grad Night tickets still available

Grad Night is an all-night celebration which starts immediately following graduation in June. It is the last time our Tesla STEM High School students will be together as a class and is intended as a safe alternative to private parties.  Students are whisked by bus to two separate private venues for a night they won't forget with tons of activities, dancing, entertainment, food and prizes.
 
MAKE SURE YOUR KID GETS TO BE PART OF THE FUN!
 
Note that Grad Night is sponsored by Tesla STEM PTSA. It is not an official school or ASB activity.
 
PRICING:
Early Bird: $175.00 (extended to February 19, 2018)
Regular:     $195.00 (after February 19, 2018)
Note: These prices apply, if paid by check. There is a small processing fee for online sales to cover our costs: $4 for Early Bird tickets (for a total of $179) and $5 for Regular Tickets (for a total of $200).
 
IMPORTANT: Scholarships are available.  Please contact your student's counselor if you would like to request assistance.   We don't want the expense to be an issue for any student.
 
SIGN UP TODAY!
 
HOW TO BUY TICKETS
Two ways to purchase:
◆ Online: Tickets can be purchased online OR
Top of Form
◆ By check:  You can bring a check to the school office or mail it to:
 
Bottom of Form
Tesla STEM High School
4301 228th Ave N.E.
Redmond, WA 98053
 
The envelope should be marked "Attn: Grad Night". Make checks payable to "Tesla STEM PTSA". Please put your student's name, phone and email on the check.
 
DONATIONS/SPONSOR A STUDENT
If you would like to make a donation to support Grad Night or to sponsor a student scholarship, visit the Grad Night site and donate via PayPal.
Top of Form
 
Bottom of Form
For more information, email us at gradnight@teslastemptsa.org
Tesla STEM PTSA Contributions
 A huge THANK YOU to everyone who submitted a monetary contribution to Tesla STEM PTSA!  Your donations made it possible for PTSA to grant almost $20,000 to Tesla STEM HS for the following:
 
  • Iris fluorescent microscope which allows students to visualize fluorescent protein tags on cells
  • Spanish periodicals to enhance student learning
  • Books for the counseling resource center
 
Your contributions also helped fund events such as the BBQ/Movie Night and Reflections art contest as well as provide support for students in need due to financial hardship.
 
Tesla STEM PTSA is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.  Donors may use their canceled check and/or  PayPal verification as a receipt for their tax records; please confirm with your tax advisor.  If you require a receipt from Tesla STEM PTSA, please contact  treasurer@teslastemptsa.org.
Represent Tesla STEM PTSA at the LWSF Luncheon
You are invited!
 
Please join the Tesla STEM community for Lake Washington Schools Foundation's annual benefit luncheon. The 2018 LWSF "Bridge The Gap" luncheon will be held at the Marriott Redmond Town Center on Tuesday, March 27 at 11:30am.
 
*RSVP online on the LWSF website: http://www.lwsf.org/bridgethegap.html
*To join a STEM table please note "Greta Climer, Tesla STEM High School" when registering.
 
Your meal is complimentary. The luncheon is indeed a benefit, so please bring a giving spirit. 
 
Not able to attend? Not a problem! You can still support the children of our school district with a Virtual Attendee gift made online at https://lwsf.salsalabs.org/bridgethegapgiving/index.html.
 
Thanks in advance for being part of the Tesla STEM community and extending our support to the Lake Washington Schools Foundation. Please contact Tesla STEM parent Greta Climer ( gretacl@hotmail.com) if you have any questions.
ASB News: Save the Date for Tolo!
 
Tesla STEM ASB is holding Tolo on Saturday, April 14th at Resonance at SOMA Towers from 7-10:00pm.  More details including ticket information will be shared with students during school.
March 28th PTSA Membership Meeting Canceled
 
Since we do not have business to conduct, the March 28th PTSA Membership Meeting is canceled. Please mark your calendars for our final PTSA Membership Meeting of the year on Wed, May 30th at 7:00pm which will include 2018-19 officer elections, 2018-19 budget approval and a presentation on "Students and Stress".
 

PTSA is here to help!

Tesla STEM PTSA believes that financial need shouldn't be a barrier to students fully participating in the Tesla STEM HS curriculum. To support that, the PTSA has partnered with the school counselors and Principal to provide scholarship funds to students in need.
  
Families who need help with fees and supplies are encouraged to contact their counselor at STEM with their requests.
  
Confidentiality of such requests is strictly maintained - requests are considered by the school and no one at PTSA knows the names of the requestors. 
  
Please don't hesitate to contact the counselors, if PTSA can help.
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