>> MATES student awarded new laptop
>> Math and Science Initiative takes off
like a "COMET"
MATES Junior Reaches for the Stars (or COMETS)
 Derek
Jorgensen, of Lacey Township, a junior at the
Ocean County Vocational Technical School' s Marine
Academy of Technology and Environmental Science
(MATES) was selected as the winner of the 'Name
the Initiative' Contest. Derek' s winning acronym,
COMETS, stands for Career Oriented Math, Engineering,
Technology and Science. The COMETS initiative
is part of a national program developed to increase
interest and focus among students, on science
and math based careers. Derek
received a Dell laptop for his creative efforts.
Derek credits his eighth grade science teacher,
Mrs. Kathleen Stankovich, with his interest in
science. 'She always made science interesting
and fun. She made me realize that this was an
area I wanted to pursue', noted Derek.
It was also in eighth grade, that Derek saw a
presentation about MATES that prompted his decision
to apply for admissions. 'I saw that MATES offered
something very different from a regular school.
I would be able to focus on subjects like science
and math that really interested me.'
Upon graduation, Derek plans to pursue a career in the United States Air Force. He is already beginning the application process for the Air Force Academy.
Derek says that his winning idea, 'COMETS', came
to him rather easily when he started scrambling
the key words, science, technology, engineering
and mathematics.
For more information about MATES go to: www.ocvts.org/htm/experience_mates.htm
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