US2020 Research Triangle Park hosted the 1st Annual STEMmy awards on May 25th at the Research Triangle Park Headquarters. The STEMmy awards are a new offering of the mentoring outreach program that will highlight the accomplishments of contributors from around the Triangle.
Winners from several categories were presented with a “Golden Gear” award commemorating their success in making STEM mentoring and education more accessible for low income, minority, and female students. Including in the nominees are Biogen, Fidelity, the Environmental Protection Agency, UNC’s Eshelman Pharmacy School, NC STATE’s Kenan Fellows Program, and NCCU BRITE. Students from Wake and Durham counties were also nominated for the Student of the Year categories.
As part of a new inactive for 2016, Benjamin Warlick was presented with the grand prize for the RTPi3: Ignite, Innovate & Inspire Essay Challenge. Benjamin is a student at Charles D Owen High School in Buncombe County, and was awarded prizes totaling $2,500 for his winning essay. The contest was open to students in counties across North Carolina, and was hosted by US2020 and Innovate NC.
In addition to the awards ceremony, student groups that participate in Citizen Schools presented their work at the beginning of the program. This allowed for attendees to see how STEM mentoring can directly play out with students in our community.
The winners and nominees are as follows:
Higher Ed department Of the Year
Winner:
NC State University Kenan Fellows
Nominees:
University of North Carolina Eshelman School of Pharmacy, North Carolina Central University BRITE
STEM Industry Partner Of the Year
Winner:
US Environmental Protection Agency
Nominees:
Biogen, Fidelity
Mentor Of the Year
Winner:
Kenneth Lyle of Duke University
Nominees:
Meaghan McGrath of RTI International
Matt Koci of North Carolina State University
STEM School Of The Year
Winner:
Lowe’s Grove Middle
Nominees:
Envision Science Academy, Wake STEM Early College High School
Student Of the Year K-8:
Winner:
Mansi Goyal of Hunter GT/AIG Basics Magnet Elementary Grade 5
Nominees:
Justin Benjamin of Ligon Middle Grade 8
Ava Farmer Mills Park Middle Grade 8
Student Of the Year 9-16:
Winner:
Joanna McDonald Green Hope High School, grade 11
Nominees:
Chidubem Nwacuche Sanderson High School, grade 11
Nile Hargrove-Raphael Southeast Raleigh Magnet High School grade 10
Youth Serving Organization Of the Year
Winner:
Kramden Institute
Nominees:
Young Women in Bio, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Triangle
Congratulations to all our winners! If you would like to watch a full recap of the event, please click here.
About US2020
US2020 is a STEM mentoring outreach program based in Research Triangle Park, NC. Their mission is to expand STEM mentoring and opportunities for engagement to low income, minority and female students. US2020 is a national initiative announced in 2013 by President Barack Obama that seeks to yield greater participation from leading STEM companies and education nonprofits in order to diversify STEM fields.