Writing Contest Winners 2018-2019

Honorable Mention, Grades 6-8

Ilias Benmokrane
Grade 7, Sumner G. Whittier School, Everett
Mr. Ben Francavilla, Teacher

"Hello there." spoke the tall man placed in the center of the board, directing his almighty attention to both the class and his script, "I see that you're all very interested in learning more about the MWRA, our enthusiasts, correct?"

"Yes!" The class blasted out, filling the room immediately with loud, eager shouts.

"Marvelous!" The tall man, known evidently now as the presenter, or speaker, grinned from ear to ear, in full pleasure. He was standing next to his fellow coworkers, everyone supposed. Three of them, in full MWRA attire, ready to teach this packed to the brim 7th grade class, yearning for some great learning. The lesson today was quite unheard of, however it was a crucial thought that really most have overlooked. It regarded the use of combined STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) learning in the MWRA. Confused, one kid, whose name was Brian, uttered out a question, with some rudeness, abruptly interrupting the man's impending discussion.

"Well, don't you guys just use engineering? To like, make the machines?" The presenter chuckled at the question, disregarding the fact in which he shouted it out without inquiring. He then transitioned smoothly into his segment with that question, accompanied nicely by the Google Slides presentation, in which the blonde haired coworker setup just a few moments ago on the iMac. Projected on the Eno-Board, he began talking.

"STEM. What it is, some may ask. Indeed, yes, engineering is symbolized by the E, but that isn’t the full picture. Let's zoom out a bit." Hysterically, the blonde haired worker on the iMac zoomed completely out of the slide. The presenter practically collapsed over the amount of laughter exiting his mouth. During his guffaw, he tried to get himself together as the class wasn't very amused.

"Nooo," he said, trying his best to hold back the extreme laughter, "I meant the lesson subject." Embarrassed, she zoomed back in, and the presenter continued teaching the class.

"So, STEM in water treatment plants and in our facilities. STEM is an intertwined version of your classes and city contests, science, math, and computer classes, with Science Fair included as well. Here, at the MWRA, if you want scientific discoveries within the plants, you need the other three, if you want engineering; you also need the other three. Everything is connected. To put this into a simpler, 7th grade perspective, if we wanted to build better bar screens to filter bigger pieces of waste, and let us say ours wasn't working too well. In this case, your first thing to come to mind would be engineering. To develop a new bar screen, we would have to engineer a prototype on technologies, like our computers, use science to figure out the sizes of this articles and why they are slipping through, and finally use mathematics to complete the equations. As everything is combined here, certain positions are needed for certain jobs."

"So," Brian spoke, rudely stopping his dialogue, "to finish a science project you need engineering, math, and technology?"

"Yes, that is correct. Let's take in another example, a current one at the MWRA. We have to constantly monitor stations, pumps, and certain tanks. Here, our primary disinfection process for the greater Boston area and beyond is mainly a disinfectant called Ozone. This process rapidly decomposes bacteria and organic matter, which may remain in the current water at this time. To get to this disinfectant, a lot of research had to be brought out and evidence if it was safe had to be subsequently concluded. Now getting to the conclusion, we had to use technological resources to find the data. Possibly, we could test ozone disinfection using laboratory equipment, or we could use modern technologies including computers. At the time ozone disinfection was adopted in the MWRA, 2005, computers could have showed some public, finalized data alongside the laboratory studies.

However, before doing the studies, science must have been brought into play. We need science to tell us how to complete said projects, or why we should do what we need to do. Science gives us the molecular substance of Ozone, for example, and, with research and data, shows that it creates a nuclear reaction in which breaks open the cell wall of organic matter and bacteria, therefore killing it. However, now comes mathematics, which gives us and allows us to solve the equations brought up in science, as numbers are quite probably another big part in these types of discoveries. You need to know how much Ozone is needed per liter of water for example, a very precise and fundamental piece. Lastly, you need engineering to fully build the plant with the Ozone disinfectant. You need a certified establishment by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) as well."

"Wow, that was long, and quick! So, STEM is basically everything you do there, all tied together, you say?" Brain asked one last time.

"Yes, indeed. Without all of these things included or tied together, who knows what could happen to the structure or function of the plants! Without science, we wouldn't know things based off a molecule level, without mathematics, we wouldn't know the exact conversion rates or equations to anything, without engineering we couldn't build our finalized projects, or get them EPA certified, and without technology, we wouldn't have data completed to even start the project! We couldn't get it off the ground, nor get it tested."

"I wish we had STEM classes in school to prepare me for this!" This time, a kid by the name of Jimmy, dubbed "Short Jim" by classmates due to his minuscule size, decided to declare that message to the MWRA staff team.

"Well, a new STEM program is actually popping up everywhere across United States public and private schools! We actually have one here as well!"

"Thank you, presenter," Jimmy replied "I learned so much today!"

"It is no problem at all, it's been a pleasure showing your class the ins and outs of STEM in the MWRA,” he said for a final time. The Google Slide transitioned to a final page slide, and it showed everything in a picture. Science was represented by lab tests, scientists in full white coats using tubes and finding out new chemical reactions, technology represented by the laboratory equipment used, engineering represented by the new things, such as tanks, being built, and mathematics being put into placed via sheets of work and paper, showing rates, conversations, and equations.

The class was in awe at the information. In wonder, they asked more questions regarding the MWRA's processes, their treatment plants, and more.

And with that, the class had been taught the STEM learning system. Intrigued, some researched some more, and a select few were devoted to getting STEM programs to other schools in their lifetime. Who would have known that a simple class, an MWRA lesson, had shown the sheer importance of these four subjects, and why they should be tied together, in unison.

Jobs, like ones at the MWRA use this in cooperation with others to successfully build these treatment plants to serve us in Massachusetts. It truly is a marvel to see what happens when we combine these things together, and what we could achieve from it. It's an even bigger marvel to see their great importance in MWRA plants and offices.

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