Princeton NJ Schools Press Releases

Princeton University Professor Emeritus Serves as Guest Judge for Princeton Academy Independent Science Project Exposition

(Princeton NJ)  For the past six weeks, Princeton Academy’s middle school has taken part in a unique learning experience known as the Independent Science Project or ISP. Each project culminates in a juried exposition with Christina Kraml, CEO of Lotus Separations, LLC at the Princeton University Dept. of Chemistry, serving as one of the judges for the past few years. This year, the students were fortunate to welcome Princeton University Geosciences Professor Emeritus, Lincoln Hollister, as a guest judge.  

“It’s an exciting time of year because the students are energized by one another: they are each other’s test subjects, they are fellow scientists. It is absolutely amazing, the thinking that is going on, the collaboration, the curiosity, imagination, and it is all 21st century skills, ” says Head of Middle School and science teacher, Kathleen Humora, who created the program and has supervised it for 13 years.

Mrs. Humora is referring to a global movement among educators to define the skills necessary for success in the coming years. The goal is to transform teaching methods with innovative approaches to lifelong learning, helping students assimilate and understand new ideas quickly through practical applications and interactive group activities. The movement has identified three core areas: life and career skills, learning and innovation skills, and information media and technology skills. Princeton Academy constantly evaluates the curriculum with these guidelines in mind.

Students detail their work in a notebook or ipad and create a three-panel display board that is exhibited for the whole Princeton Academy community. The ISP culminates with the Science Exposition, when boys present their findings a panel of professional scientists and classmates.

 “Many schools require science projects, but Princeton Academy may be the only one that sets aside time for the entire project to be done in school as an integral part of the science curriculum. At Princeton Academy, students spend weeks researching a problem of interest, designing an experiment and troubleshooting the project,” said Olen Kalkus, founding Headmaster.  “Some of their best learning comes from investigating hypotheses that are not supported, ” Mr. Kalkus explains.  “It is similar to what scientists do all over the world: carry out iterative research.”

Professor Hollister agrees, “Princeton Academy’s ISP carries several long-term learning lessons.  This way of learning, ‘learning by doing and collaborating,’ does not come automatically; you need continuity of learning by failing, recognizing errors, and trying again.   The real knowledge is gained in trying again. Good experiments, and mastering the scientific method has application to virtually everything we do.  Data-based decision making is a valuable long-term life skill,” Professor Hollister explains.