MOUNTAIN LAKES — Keira Lee and Myra Almeida from Mountain Lakes High School have been accepted into the 2023-2024 class of the Governor’s STEM Scholars (GSS). STEM stands for “Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.” Both Keira Lee and Myra Almeida are juniors at Mountain Lakes High School.
These students, selected from among nearly 1,000 applicants across the state, are among the highest-achieving students in New Jersey, according to officials.
GSS is a collaborative effort involving the Research & Development Council of New Jersey, the Office of the Governor, the New Jersey Department of Education, the New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education, and both public and private research institutions. GSS aims to support and enhance New Jersey’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) talent pool by introducing the state’s STEM students to the R&D and STEM ecosystem.
Scholars attend four conferences to explore the STEM sectors of industry, academia, and government. For the 2023-2024 programmatic year, these conferences will be held at Kean University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Princeton University, and Rutgers University, officials said.
Additionally, scholars build relationships with diverse STEM professionals by attending field trips and fireside chats at New Jersey companies such as Bristol Myers Squibb, Kenvue, Panasonic, PSEG, Stryker, and United Airlines. Scholars participate in an engineering design research project that will enhance their analytical and 21st-century skills.
Scholars hail from 20 of New Jersey’s 21 counties. Sixty-three percent of the class identify as female and 82 percent as students of color.
To qualify for GSS, applicants must have at least a 3.5 GPA, be a high school sophomore through doctoral-level student at a New Jersey-based high school or university, and demonstrate a strong passion for STEM.
