Fishburne Military School STEM Initiative Gets Hands On

Fishburne Military School STEM Initiative Gets Hands On

Waynesboro, VA — This week Cadets in CPT Galloway’s classes waded a little deeper into the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) initiative at Fishburne Military School by learning the basics of using the scientific data accumulation program Logger Pro.

The software, which is used in college science departments throughout the world, provides students with the ability to record, chart, graph and compare data from a variety of different experiments. In this exercise, Cadets hung a spring over a motion detector using ultrasound to measure the position of the spring over time. They fed the data into their new software and then produced and compared various graphs. Using these tools and data, the Cadets then learned to calculate the change in distance and velocity while estimating the damping factor to be added to their equations.

After setting up their experiments, collecting their data and crunching the numbers, the Cadets were asked to formally present their findings to the rest of the class using trigonometric equations on a whiteboard.

“These types of experiments and exercises,” notes FMS Superintendent, COL Gary Morrison (VA), himself a 1981 graduate of FMS, “are the backbone of Fishburne Military School’s STEM initiative.”

” Instruction like this gives our young men hands-on experience with equipment and procedures that will serve them well throughout their future studies”, Morrison explains. “Having individual access to equipment like this, in a small classroom setting, with expert instruction from teachers like Captain Galloway is absolutely priceless. I have no doubt that our young men are leaving Fishburne Military School better prepared than ever to embrace the notion of being life-long learners.”

Fishburne Military School is the oldest and smallest of all military schools for boys in Virginia. Its college-prep curriculum is built upon the structure of an Army JROTC program. FMS is designated as a JROTC Honor Unit with Distinction and may nominate qualified candidates to the United States Service Academics. Fishburne hosts one of only four Summer JROTC programs in the nation, accredited by US Army Cadet Command.