My name is Kristin Osika, and I am currently a freshman at the Pingry School. I started Westmont as a toddler and attended the school through Kindergarten. I enjoy figure skating, basketball, and all things related to science and math. I recently had the amazing opportunity to attend
the National Agriscience Summit in Washington D.C.
The summit is focused on encouraging teens to learn more about Agriscience related careers, and opportunities to get involved. We engaged in workshops, field trips, lectures, and presentations on intriguing topics, such as the science behind GMOs. We were challenged to create a community action plan to share the knowledge we had learned with others. This summit is offered through 4-H, a group of youth clubs that provides hands-on learning experiences for children and teens. I am a part of my county’s Teen Council club and Science Matters team. Science Matters is a project which received a grant from Bayer to research issues affecting our community. We teach and present to children and teens at county and state events. My team and I travelled to the Agriscience Summit to learn from other teams across the nation and to present our ideas as well. We learned so much and everyone had an amazing trip. Since then, we have taught and improved our workshops to make them the best they can be.
Westmont built the foundation and spurred my interest in academics and encouraged intellectual curiosity. I remember staring in awe as my classmates and I watched caterpillars turn into butterflies, thinking that it could only be magic that could inspire such a change. My early interest in the sciences has only grown as I have aged, and this interest helped lead me to engage in Science Matters and participate in events such as the Agriscience Summit. I was recently honored by the Morris County Freeholders for these contributions and look forward to continuing these activities in the future.
