Program

School Excursions

Excursion #1: Bronx School for Science – The Bronx High School of Science is a NYC public high school that specializes in STEM education. It has been among the highest ranked STEM schools in the country and continues to find innovative ways of teaching students who have gone on to notable careers. It's alumni include eight Nobel Prize winners and six Pulitzer Prize winners. The Bronx High School of Science is a founding member of the National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools.

Excursion #2: Stuyvesant High School – Stuy was established in 1904 as a manual training school for boys, hosting 155 students and 12 teachers. Its reputation for excellence in math and science continued to grow, and enrollment was restricted based on scholastic achievement starting in 1919. Although Stuyvesant is primarily known for its math and science focus, the school also has a comprehensive humanities program. Stuyvesant is noted for its academic programs, having produced many notable alumni including four Nobel laureates.

Excursion #3: Brooklyn Technical High School – specializes in engineering, math and science and is the largest high school for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in the United States. It is one of the most elite, prestigious and selective high schools in the United States. 2014 US News ranks BTHS as top 10 in all of New York State as well as #60 in the entire nation.

Together with Stuyvesant High School and Bronx High School of Science, Brooklyn Tech is one of three original specialized high schools, operated by the New York City Department of Education. Admission is by competitive examination though, as a public school, there is no tuition fee and only residents of the City of New York are eligible to attend.

Brooklyn Tech is a founding member of the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology. Brooklyn Tech is noted for its famous alumni (including two Nobel Laureates), its academics, and the large number of graduates attending prestigious universities.

Keynote Speaker
John Ewing
President, Math for America

Three Decades of Chicken Little
For more than three decades, we’ve been told that K-12 education is in crisis, that we are spiraling downward, and that our nation is at grave risk. Politicians, pundits, and even educators themselves urge us to act immediately and radically. Not surprisingly, confidence in American education is at an all-time low. What drives this apocalyptic view of education? What are the consequences? And how do we return to a more rational and measured approach to solving education’s real problems?

Microsoft Imagine Cocktail Hour

Who better than Microsoft to espouse the same principles as our own schools?  The importance of science, technology, engineering and math are all part of the basic philosophy of NCSSS and its members, and those essential fundamentals are the basis on which Microsoft is built.  Additionally, Microsoft is all about the students – the next generation of emerging innovators and creators.  And on this special night, it will be all about NCSSS plus Microsoft and how we can partner together to further our shared vision.

Join NCSSS and Microsoft for a very special reception in Microsoft’s new Times Square office.  Enjoy time with colleagues while checking out their outstanding environment that features high-tech workspaces, gadget bars decked out with tablets and devices, as well as state of the art labs where Microsoft demos the latest and great technology for customers including HoloLens, Xbox, and Kinect.

The Microsoft Imagine Cocktail Hour on Friday night is included in attendee’s registration fee.

Lunch

Fireside Chat with Crystal Bonds, NCSSS President and Jennifer Ritzzinger, Senior Director, and John Scott Tynes, Director, Microsoft Imagine

Jennifer Ritzinger
Senior Director, Microsoft Imagine
Jennifer Ritzinger is the Senior Director of student developer evangelism at Microsoft headquarters, leading the global strategy to guide the world’s students to learn valuable programming concepts and skills that will lead to gainful employment opportunities in IT industry and beyond. As an 18 year company veteran, Jennifer formerly led Microsoft’s marquee events including the Professional Developers Conference, TechEd for IT professionals, MIX for designers, and BUILD. She also was the co-host of an online web series, WM_IN, featuring amazing females in the high-tech industry, and a regular host of online countdown shows, featuring the team behind the scenes at Microsoft. Before joining Microsoft, Jennifer was a secondary school educator, teaching high school English in the Mariana Islands.

John Scott Tynes
Director, Microsoft Imagine
John Scott Tynes manages Microsoft Imagine's student developer programs including Imagine Cup, DreamSpark, and Microsoft Student Partners, providing students of all ages with the tools and content they need to create, code, and develop their dreams. His experience as a game designer, writer, entrepreneur, and IP creator all began with learning to code as a child thanks to an after-school computer class, where he first encountered the potential of combining creativity with technology.