Students will exhibit their work, joining local businesses and post-secondary schools in sharing learning and innovation in the areas of STEM – science, technology, engineering and math

PORTLAND, Maine (Nov. 6, 2014) – The Portland Public Schools, in partnership with EnviroLogix, will hold the first Portland Public Schools STEM Exposition on Monday, Nov. 10 at the Ocean Gateway Terminal in Portland. At the event, which will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Portland Public School students, local businesses, and post-secondary schools will share their learning in STEM – science, technology, engineering and math. The public is encouraged to attend.

“This is the first time ever that the Portland community has come together to show how we are innovating in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math from our public schools to our post-secondary schools and in our local businesses,” said Portland Public Schools Superintendent Emmanuel Caulk. “This truly is an exhibition of STEM learning from cradle to career. STEM knowledge is essential for 21st century jobs and we’re excited to partner with EnviroLogix in showing the public what our students are learning to prepare them for the future.”

“EnviroLogix is pleased to be able to partner with the Portland Public Schools in their first STEM Expo,” said John Markin, President and CEO of EnviroLogix, a Portland-based company that develops and manufactures innovative detection technology for every link in the worldwide food production chain. “Helping students see the exciting world of STEM possibilities, combined with specific examples of existing results of applied innovation that all exist right here in their back yard, is a great opportunity for everyone. As a business that is built on technology, we see this Expo as an investment both in the community and in potential future employees for EnviroLogix, and we are proud to be a part of it.”

Students from all of Portland’s public middle and high schools, the Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS), and three elementary schools will be among the exhibitors at the event. Nearly 1,000 other Portland Public School students will be touring the exhibits during the course of the day.

Some examples of the student exhibits include one from Lincoln Middle School students, who will demonstrate ZomeTools, which help students model concepts in geometry, including 2D, 3D and applications such as the Pythagorean theorem. Hall Elementary School students will be displaying their toothpick bridge models in an engineering-related exhibit. And Deering High School students will be demonstrating the crime detection skills they have acquired in their Forensic Science Class.

This STEM partnership with EnviroLogix arose out of the Portland Public Schools’ Principal for a Day program, in which EnviroLogix’ Markin participated. In the annual Principal for a Day program – run in partnership with the Portland Regional Chamber and its CEO Chris Hall – business CEOs spend a day as guest principals in the public schools, providing insight and advice.