Roxton student attends National Youth Leadership Forum

Conner Tuley, set to begin his eighth-grade year at Chisum Middle School and grandson of Jeanne and Gere Tuley of Roxton, recently had the opportunity to attend the National Youth L e a d e r s h i p Forum Explore STEM ( N Y L F ) in Dallas. C o n n e r was one of numerous elite s t u d e nt s selected for the program that focused on exploration of areas of study that have become the focus of school curricula nationwide: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The theme of this year’s forum was “Conquer the Red Planet.” As detailed on the NYLF website (www.envisionexperience. com), “NYLF Explore STEM is a unique learning experience for bright, forwardthinking middle school students who will evolve into our next generation of innovators, engineers, doctors, forensic scientists, mathematicians, and physicists.” NYLF notes that few fields of are more important to the future of mankind as STEM, and few will offer as many future career opportunities. “Virtually all career fields today require a solid foundation of STEM, and that’s precisely why these are the fastest growing areas of study—and the reason that STEM professionals are in the highest demand throughout the world.” Through activities including forensics, robotics, medicine, and civil engineering, the program allows curious and high-achieving students to explore the frontiers of 21st century science and technology.” Conner had originally been nominated for the program by his sixthgrade teacher; however, the Forum was cancelled last year due to the COIVD-19 pandemic. For Conner, the postponement served him well as he had an extra year of education under his belt before he tackled the academic challenges of NYLF. During the six-day immersive experience, Conner and other students learned by taking part in hands-on simulations, workshops, and competitions. Likewise, the students made new friends and had unforgettable adventures as they planned for a “Mission to Mars.” Throughout the Forum, Conner’s grandparents received daily updates from a coordinator detailing what Conner would be learning each day. The following is an overview of Conner’s experience as he set his sights on Mars.

Day 1

The National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF) : Expl o r e STEM began today, and we couldn’t be more excited to have Conner join us. It’s going to be an amazing six days of career exploration and self-discovery as Conner and his peers embark on their mission to Mars! Today, after the scholars registered, Conner started his Envision experience by attending his first Galaxy Group Meeting. During the meeting, Conner participated in icebreakers and established the team of four he will work with for the remainder of the week. The Galaxy Group will be Conner’s core group for the duration of the program. They will learn from each other and discover new ideas together as they explore exciting new fields.

Day 2

Today started with a Social and Emotional Learning session, where scholars got explicit hands-on instruction in non-cognitive soft skills necessary for highperformance outcomes in life and career. The elements taught included behavioral skills (such interpersonal skills, accountability, critical thinking, flexibility, and adaptability) that are predictive of leadership success. This morning’s session focused on interpersonal c o m - mu n i - cation, f l e x - i b i l - ity, and adaptability. A f t e r - w a r d s , C o n n e r and his fellow scholars attended an Academy session on the challenges of colonizing Mars. Following the lecture, Conner had an incredible opportunity to enjoy a presentation from someone who has been to space themselves, keynote speaker and former astronaut Dr. Leroy Chiao. Dr. Chiao is a former NASA astronaut and International Space Station (ISS) commander. He has logged over 229 days in space on four space missions, including six spacewalks supporting ISS design and construction. Next, Conner participated in his first Academy session. These sessions provide an introduction to a given subject area. Everyone at the program will explore each subject area at the Academy level. For Conner’s first Academy session, he began his STEM exploration by focusing on Engineering Design. Conner used an iPad Pro and Pencil to become familiar with 3D modeling and the design process. In order to build a successful colony on Mars, a sound design is key! Following the Academy session and some short rec time, Conner took his learnings a step further during his first Engineering Design Lab. The Lab portion of the curriculum is where the scholars expand and delve into their chosen field of study by tackling key issues and/or scenarios. The goal of the Engineering Design Lab is to construct a 3D colony, which can be used to depict what life on Mars can be like.

Day 3

After attending another Social and Emotional Learning session on critical thinking and accountability, Conner and his peers tackled their second Galaxy Lab. This time Conner took the challenge one step further in the ideation process and start to develop a prototype. After the Lab, Conner attended a second Academy session, continuing his STEM exploration by focusing on Robotics Programming. Conner learned the ins and outs of a VEX IQ robot. He also interacted with different sensors and practiced coding the robot through an iPad. One of the best parts of this program is that the scholars get to delve into STEM fields they may or may not have thought about before. The great thing about science is that all the fields are connected and to see the scholars realize the connection is extremely rewarding. Additionally, seeing how they can rely on their peers to further their success in the field that they are passionate about is most fulfilling. After the Academy session, Conner’s group continued to develop their prototype and presented to their Galaxy Group to use as practice and to help build their presentation skills. Conner closed out the day with a trivia show.

Day 4

Today, Conner gained even more exposure to the other STEM fields. To start the day, Conner and his Galaxy Group reviewed their FUEL results and began building goals based off their feedback. The scholars discussed the PAIRIN Survey, reviewed their reports to learn more about their strengths, and reflected on what they learned about themselves during the PAIRIN session. The results will help Conner align outside feedback with personal goals to increase authentic self-awareness. Using his results tomorrow, Conner will design an action plan — a roadmap for social, academic, and career success. After reviewing Conner’s results, his Galaxy Group tested their prototype, made a few alterations then tested some more. This is a key part of the Engineering Design process. During this process, the scholars discover what it’s really like to be a scientist. As Bill Gates said, “It’s fine to celebrate success, but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.” Next, Conner participated in his third Academy session. He had the opportunity to explore Forensic Science by learning how to properly document a crime scene and about the techniques used to process evidence. Conner also learned to analyze blood stain patterns, identify and lift fingerprints, cast shoe prints, and screen for biological evidence. After the Academy session, Conner’s group tested and improved its prototype, making tweaks to ensure the project is at the level it needs to be in order to finish up tomorrow.

Day 5

The week has sure flown by! Today represented the culmination of the hard work of Conner and his Galaxy Lab group. To get the day started, Conner used yesterday’s assessment results to design an action plan. Conner and his fellow scholars added to their mission to Mars by enjoying another speech from Dr. Leroy Chiao, a man who has been to space. Later, Conner and Conner’s fellow scholars gained more insight on STEM careers and had the opportunity to ask thought provoking questions to a panel of career professionals. Conner attended his final Academy session. He concluded his STEM exploration by focusing on medicine and participating in a simulation titled “When Care is Hours Away.” During the simulation, created in collaboration with Stanford Medicine, Conner learned about splints and slings, wound care, and hemorrhaging. He then put everything he has learned into practice. Following the final STEM exploration, Conner’s group worked to finalize their presentation, which they made this evening!

Conner Tuley reflects on NYLF experience

I left for Envision on June 27 and returned on July 2. During my time there, I learned much in the four courses: engineering, medicine, forensics, and robotics in that order. In engineering my group and I were tasked with making a habitable environment on Mars. We took inspiration from igloos due to the fact they’re one of the most stable structures in the world. Plus, if they can survive the freezing environments they were made in, then a similar building can likely survive the Mars wasteland. It was made up of two layers. A hard outer layer made of rocks, maybe carved out from a large boulder, put together by specialized robots before humans arrive. The inner layer would be an inflatable tent like thing that keeps oxygen and heat in. In medicine I learned how to apply some splints like an 8-figure splint. In forensics I learned how to find and lift finger prints. We didn’t do much in robotics due to it being the last full day, but we talked about Mars rovers.