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Mercer County students describe 'life-changing' Jason Argonaut STEM trip
Summary
Two Mercer County students who took part in the Jason Argonaut STEM program described hands-on research and career exposure they gained on a trip to Houston; district staff highlighted partner mentors and classroom follow-ups.
Superintendent Toman introduced a Jason Argonaut presentation, saying the county supports the district’s student STEM outreach and is proud of the two students who represented Mercer County in Houston.
Dylan Donathan, a Princeton Senior High School student, told the board the trip broadened his view of college and engineering careers. "The trip for me was really amazing...by the second day, I didn't want to come back," Dylan said, describing fieldwork at Armand Bayou and presenting research to university researchers.
Grace Mahoski, a Pikeview High senior, described creating a poster using data collected on the trip and said the experience convinced her she could pursue aerospace engineering. "My name is Grace Mahoski...this experience has made me realize that I can be more independent and I can go out of state for college," she said.
A district presenter explained students used compact "data bots" to collect environmental measurements and took part in poster sessions at the University of Houston–Clear Lake. Staff emphasized that the program includes mentoring components and teacher professional development their presentation called out Leah Hall, a former NASA employee, as an important mentor who helped process the trip data.
Board members thanked the students and noted the positive external validation the students received; the presentation closed with a call for follow-up questions at a later workshop and encouragement for staff to continue sharing student outcomes with the board.
