We were thrilled this summer to welcome Jenny Starr, a Green Island middle and high school science teacher who spent seven weeks with us as part of the Summer STEM Research Institute at Questar III BOCES.

We invited Jenny for a couple of reasons: first, so she could get a sense for the knowledge and skills required to work at Norlite and use that information to speak with her students about the very practical applications and opportunities that a science education can provide them, and second, so she could learn and understand on her own what we do and how we operate.

We’ve found that people who take the time to understand what we do and how we do it inevitably conclude that our products and services are good for the environment, and that we run a responsible and sustainable operation. That certainly was the case with Jenny, as described in an article for the Green Island school newsletter. Science, data and facts, once understood, are powerful.

We thank Jenny for working with us this summer and for describing so well the importance of continuing education and hands-on learning for teachers. We look forward to welcoming more teachers and to continuing our collaboration with Questar III BOCES to provide students with practical knowledge about how to use their STEM skills.