43
Photo
Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Canfield Village Middle School eighth-grader Eliza Blasko (left) attended the National Youth Leadership Forum: Explore STEM program at Loyola University June 25-30.
By ABBY SLANKER
Canfield Village Middle School eighth-grader Eliza Blasko attended the National Youth Leadership Forum: Explore STEM program at Loyola University June 25-30. Blasko, daughter of Rich and Paula Blasko, was nominated to attend the program by CVMS teacher Dominique Tozzi.
Outstanding middle school students from across the nation took part in the National Youth Leadership Forum: Explore STEM, which is a unique academic development experience. The forum’s mission is to inspire scholars to explore career possibilities in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
“The forum I attended was a great experience. I made new friends from all over the country and learned a lot about STEM and leadership skills. I wanted to go to see if I would like a job in this field when I grew up. Also, I knew that it would be a positive aspect on my resume in the future. When I grow up I would like to be a marine biologist,” Blasko said.
Students who attend the program participate in a broad range of interactive simulations, hands-on workshops and educational site visits to discover the work of today’s professionals in fields, such as engineering, health care and environmental science. Scholars of the program also learned to develop critical success skills, such as time management, conflict resolution, information analysis, collaboration and public speaking.
Blasko’s parents are happy to see Eliza recognized for her hard work and are proud of her academic accomplishments.
“It was an honor for Eliza to be nominated and recognized for her hard work in the classroom. We were very impressed with the Envision program from the first initial contact through Eliza’s six day stay in Chicago. The forum provided her with a quality educational experience as well as skills that she will use throughout her lifetime. She should be very proud of this accomplishment, as we are,“ said Rich and Paula Blasko.
National Youth Leadership Forum: Explore STEM is part of the Envision family of programs, which enable students of all ages to explore their interests and gain learning experiences beyond the classroom. Since 1985, Envision programs have served more than 500,000 students in more than 145 countries. Envision programs are designed to help students develop leadership, scholarship and career skills needed to succeed in today’s competitive college and career landscape.