LJ student a geography wiz — Liam J. Fay, a La Jolla resident and seventh-grader at Francis Parker School, qualified to compete as a semifinalist in the 2013 California National Geographic Bee in Sacramento on April 5. Fay is one of 109 students chosen out of 2,000 fourth- through eighth-graders who will compete for the state title, the winner of which will represent California in the national finals, moderated by Alex Trebek, at National Geographic’s Washington, D.C., headquarters in May. The first-place national winner will receive a $25,000 college scholarship. Gillispie expands STEM — The Gillispie School is embracing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education with high standards for the disciplines at the primary level. The school has implemented several STEM initiatives in recent years, such as REMS, the Rendezvous for Engineering, Mathematics and Science competitions and the development of the school’s first LEGO robotics teams. Science director Chip Edwards has assured students have access to the latest innovations, including a 3-D printer purchased with the help of a grant from The Scripps Family Foundation. The machine works by extruding melted plastic layer by layer to create 3-D objects from computer-imaged designs. Gillispie staff and faculty recently applied to become one of the first recipients of the new GoogleGlass, an augmented reality head-mounted display still in the production phase. For information on STEM-related summer programs, visit www.gillispie.org or call (858) 459-3773. Public health heads to UCSD — UC San Diego announced it will add public health to its undergraduate curriculum this fall. The program places UCSD at the forefront of the growing public health field, and the university is poised to combine renowned research faculty making contributions on major public-health problems with a top-ranking undergraduate program. Public health focuses on the behaviors and environmental conditions that affect health and includes an emphasis on prevention, early detection and minimization of risk for infectious and chronic diseases. Art on oil — The Bishop’s School 10th-grade student Chas Pulido created an award-winning label titled “Imagine” for Pulido-Walker Olive Oil, a brand produced by his family in Napa. His design earned him Best of Show in the student category of international advertising competition Mobius Awards. The design will be used on the second release of the olive oil, which will be released in mid-2013, and Pulido said he has created a new piece of art for the 2014 label.
