Picatinny, Jefferson Township sign educational partnership agreement

First in nation to form partnership to increase scientists and engine

      PICATINNY, N.J. -- Educating young minds and motivating youngsters to think about becoming scientists and engineers is the goal of this new partnership between Picatinny and Jefferson Township School District.

      Both have ulterior motives – the district wants to motivate its students to learn about science and math and form ideas for their future careers.  Picatinny is looking to the future hoping that these students will choose a science or engineering career path and check out Picatinny (or other military bases) when they are ready to enter the workforce.

      The two organizations joined forces and entered into the agreement Feb. 27 when they signed this educational partnership at the Jefferson Township Middle School to help reach their goals.

      Signing the agreement were Picatinny Technical Director Michael Devine and Jefferson Schools Superintendent Gary Bowen.

      This type of agreement is the first of its kind in the nation according to Arsenal officials.

      The Department of Defense has seen a decrease in the number of students entering into scientific and engineering fields and hopes to rekindle middle and high school student interest in science and engineering .

      Last spring, the Defense Department sent two extensive “Material World Module” kits, created by Northwestern University under a partial grant from the National Science Foundation, to the middle and high schools in Jefferson.

Eleven modules have been developed in areas like sports materials, biosensors and ceramics.

      One of the kits included baseballs, softballs, small Wiffle golf balls and regular golf balls; some cut in half to show the insides while others were whole and used in experiments to show how and why friction affects the speed of a ball rolling on different surfaces.         

      Steven Gottlieb, the eighth-grade physical science teacher and his students provided a demonstration to the Picatinny, school and elected officials that witnessed the signing.   

      Officials included Rep. Rodney P. Frelinghuysen (R-Harding), state Sen. Anthony R. Bucco (R-Boonton) and Jefferson Mayor Russell Felter.

      “It’s not a coincidence that we’re at a middle school,” Frelinghuysen said. “These youngsters in this age group, are perhaps the most impressionable group of students that you can deal with.”

      A combination of teacher-led classes and volunteer professional scientists or engineers from Picatinny will form the basis of the instruction at the school on a long-term basis.