Women: The Future of STEM

The Academy of the Holy Angels is pleased to announce that several outstanding math and science students were recognized at a joint induction ceremony held on March 25. Those who excel in the sciences were welcomed into the Science National Honor Society, and those who demonstrate excellence in mathematics entered Mu Alpha Theta

Multiple Angels entered both organizations. Dual honorees include Sharanya Agarwal of West New York; Alessandra Boncaldo of Stony Point, New York; Cara Boyce and Sienna Pacione of Old Tappan; Annika Castillo and Amalia Ferolie of Cresskill; Evelyn Coleman of New City, New York; Margaret Doherty of Tappan, New York; Melpomeni Drossos of Palisades Park; Lilianna Garber of Mahwah; Taylor Glynn and Caroline Ko of Hoboken; Alana Jones of Hackensack; Katarina Kondratowicz of Carlstadt; Claire Lee of Oradell; Sienna Morreale of Edgewater; Stephanie Park of Norwood; and Sofia Petriello of Ridgefield.

New members of Mu Alpha Theta also include Lily Cossio of Tenafly; Chanel Hwang and Alexandra Darmanin of Old Tappan; Alexa Ferrara and Sophia Karamanoukian of Englewood Cliffs; Inha Jun of Edgewater; Lucia McClure of Wyckoff; Alexandra Nicholas of Emerson; Norah Park and Evelyna Pavlatos of Cresskill; and Rafaelle Zorea of Hoboken. Sophia Emmi of Tenafly and Katherine McLoughlin of Rutherford were inducted in absentia.

Students who took the SNHS oath include Michele Carabuena of Ho-Ho-Kus; Francesca Casagrande of Alpine; Elizabeth Choe of Nutley; Julianna Dail of Saddle River; Caitlin Deiser and Leah Keller of New Milford; Elena Fiorentinos of Cresskill; Caroline Kartman of Edgewater; Angelina Kim of Tenafly; Kiera Kwiatkowski of Glen Ridge; Sophia Lee of Fort Lee; Sarah Machado of Tappan, New York; and Carolynn Manniello of Montclair. Alexandra Fontana of Nanuet, New York, was welcomed in absentia.

Current honor society officers ran the ceremony, which was organized by math teacher Pamela Ruschak and science teacher Andrew Sanchez. Stephanie Chan, the Mu Alpha Theta media coordinator, welcomed her peers and their families and led everyone in the STEM prayer.

Mu Alpha Theta Co-President Elise Tao shared that she has enjoyed exploring math since she was very young and her parents took her to the bookstore to find new volumes to satisfy her growing curiosity.

“Women are the future of STEM,” Tao stated. She congratulated the new inductees, adding, “Embrace both the variables and constants of learning.”

SNHS President Emily Kim, who plans to study medicine, pointed out that the sciences spark curiosity, and prompt students toward innovation and problem solving.

Immediately following the induction, Upper School Principal Jean Miller observed, “I think these numbers (of inductees) are growing with each and every year.”

She acknowledged the hard work of the students, their teachers, and their parents.

“The secret,” Principal Miller added, “is not to do it so that you can pass the test, but to understand it…and grow from it.” Along the way, she said, students use critical thinking and problem-solving skills to determine why and how things are the way they are.