While attending the Berrien County Math and Science Center, students work hard but have a lot of fun, too. Field trips to Chicago area science exhibits, Six Flags, Sam Rhine Genetic Update Conferences, or the Tremont Institute in Tennessee's Smoky Mountains make for great learning experiences and wonderful memories. Selected students present their original research at the Michigan High School Math and Science Symposium in at Grand Valley State University. Back at the Math/Science Center, student also elect class officers, have overnight lock-ins, and participate in activities like Presidential and Bioethics debates. For breaks, students have lounges in Smith Hall and the Science Complex.
Competitions
Competitions our students have participated in include:
- National Ocean Sciences Bowl (Our team has won 1st and 2nd place in the Midwest Regional Competition)
- First Robotics
- CyberSurfari (Our team has won 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place nationally in the High School Team Division)
- Michigan Mathematics League
- Michigan Mathematics Prize Competition
- American High School Mathematics Examinations
- American Mathematics Competitions
In a few of these, like the MML and the MMPC, all students are required to participate. Others, like the First Robotics, are optional extracurricular teams.
NCSSSMST Activities
The Center is a member of a national organization of schools like ours, the National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools (NCSSS). Selected Center students participate in several NCSSSMST events:
- National Student Conference
- National Research Symposium
- Keystone, Colorado, Summit on Science Related Policy