Stepinac Senior from New Rochelle Admitted to M.I.T.

C.J. Sanchez of New Rochelle, a senior at Stepinac High School and a member of the school’s groundbreaking Engineering Honors Academy, has been admitted by M.I.T. where he plans to continue his studies to become an aerospace engineer.

This past fall, the academically top performing student was recognized by the College Board as a National Hispanic Scholar, joining a select group nationally who earned the prestigious designation.  He shared the honor with two other Stepinac students—Eduardo Ramirez of Peekskill and Geovanny Rodriquez of the Bronx.

On December 10, he was one of the three Honors Academy students who participated in Stepinac’s dedication ceremony for the school’s latest Real-World advanced learning technologies including the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) Center, Finance Center, Adult Patient Simulator and 3D Anatomage Table.

Before a group of distinguished guests including White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach and New York Assembly Member Amy Paulin (District 88), Sanchez spoke about how he had been using the sophisticated and engaging learning tools, typically found at college, to enhance his understanding of and successfully undertake real-world applications in engineering.

He related: “For the past couple of months, my fellow engineering students and I have had the opportunity to work here on our capstone projects. Using a microcomputer called a Raspberry Pi, circuitry, as well as applying the knowledge I have gained in the STEAM Center, I am automating the operation of the hydroponic vertical farm that our engineering academy built and presented as a possible solution at the Honors Academy’s Third Annual Symposium on the Food Insecurity Crisis.”  

He added: “I also plan on using what I learned from my CAD Design class to 3D print the electronics housing which will give my project a clean and finished look. As I continue my journey towards becoming an aerospace engineer, I am sure that these hands-on and collaborative experiences that I have gained in the STEAM Center will serve me very well.”

For more information, visit www.Stepinac.org