EASE - Engineering Academy for Student Excellence
"Building Bridges to the Future"

USDA Internship

John Ebsworth-Mojica  USDA Liaison Officer

The engineering academy at American High School has focused its beginning on the Concepts in Engineering class.  This class started the year covering agricultural, genetic, structural, and mechanical engineering.  The section on agricultural and genetic engineering included students bringing in plants which were subjected to various techniques to change the type of leaves or fruit they may produce.  The guest speaker for the agricultural engineering was John Ebsworth-Mojica the Agricultural Liaison Officer for Florida and Puerto Rico, with the United States Department of Agriculture. Mr. Ebsworth spoke about the opportunities in food production, logging, farming, and livestock development.  He also provided information for students to apply to internship programs that pay students $1500 dollars over an eight-week session during the summer.  This internship also allows the students to spend one week in Washington DC to observe the many functions of the USDA.

Building Bridges to Success

The competitive highlight of the first quarter of this fledgling academy was captured in the bridge building contest which also featured the Outreach Coordinator form the University of Florida, Mr. Stephen Roberts.  He spoke on the basics of education which was necessary to progress in engineering, then he isolated the greatest skill an engineer must develop, and that is communication.  Information from the University of South Florida’s Department of Engineering was also available because trips to these two schools are being planned for the spring.

Reminders to Students/Parents

Please provide an email address that will be verified by a phone contact
Remember all project assignments will only be accepted on the assigned date.
Parent participation and attendance is needed.

You are what you eat!!!

The first field trip of the year was a trip to Glaser Organic Farms.  Students were shown and explained the benefits of eating foods that had not been exposed to artificial pesticides and fertilizers.  One customer explained how he was recovering from lung cancer by changing his diet to a totally organic menu.  The guides introduced methods used to support this type of farming and even provided the entire tour group with a very filling lunch made entirely from organic foods.

Reminders to Parents

Your child will need the following this year:

calculator
access to a computer
one hour of study time
patience
creativity

This Semester’s Winners

 4th Annual Bridge Building Competition

• First Place – Terrence Coaxum and Charles Mason
• Second Place – Farid Sandoval and Erick Gadea
• Third Place – Emiliano Rojas and Rafael Siero

 Congratulations to all participants!!!