During summer 2024, Delbarton senior Kevin Jin '25 attended the Governor's School for the Sciences. Read a recap below of his experience in this unique program designed for high-achieving, STEM-focused New Jersey high school students...

This past summer, I attended the 51st New Jersey Governor’s School in the Sciences, a selective, residential summer program sponsored and completely cost-covered by the state government. Only open to rising seniors, each school in New Jersey must nominate at least (depending on class size) one student for the program, who then apply and are evaluated for selection thereon out. Each year, only 60 scholars are admitted to the program; they then spend three weeks, normally at Drew University, taking college-level science classes and labs while working on a team project.

The daily schedule consisted of three classes in the morning for four out of seven days of the week, followed by labs or team projects in the afternoon. I selected courses in Neurobiology, Molecular Orbital Theory, and Chemical Principles in Living Systems. Right off the bat, these classes served as insights into the college experience because unlike high school curriculums that generally cover wide ranges of subjects, these courses went extremely in-depth into specific topics not frequently discussed in high school classes.

My lab, Forensic Anthropology, taught us about the use of anatomy in the field of forensics, or crime scene investigation. We learned to estimate personal profiles by observing and measuring bones. We were able to carry out a mock crime scene investigation and even look at authentic human bones in our lab. Being able to take such a unique lab was a great experience, as it gave me more insight into the different applications of science in the real world.

My team project, in Chemistry, involved evaluating the capabilities of AI-based versus traditional molecular docking programs, or models that compute the interactions between different compounds. Working together with other young passionate scientists on a project was a great experience; it allowed us to develop team-building skills and to learn about how professionals interact in the real world.

Through our mentor, we were also able to meet with and learn from experts in the field of computational biology. Writing a formal paper and presenting our project at the end-of-program Scholars Conference was great exposure as well.

Outside of class time, we had time to explore the surrounding town of Madison while also getting to know the other scholars through casual conversation or organized events like a talent show or wiffleball tournament. The freedom provided was also reminiscent of a university lifestyle; working with other students on homework, setting aside time to either work on academic assignments like the team project or complete personal items like doing laundry, and trying to stop sickness from spreading through the dorm were all lessons valuable for preparing to live alone in college.

Overall, Governor’s School was a wonderful experience that I truly enjoyed. While I learned much academically, I also forged strong connections and lifelong friendships with my peers. It was also a great experience to learn about and prepare for college and potential professions through career fairs and guest speaker talks. I highly recommend that students take on this opportunity if possible.

Update: Kevin was recently accepted to the 2025 class of the NJ Governor's STEM Scholars. Also sponsored by the state government, this program takes place during the school year and involves working on a team project as well as workshops to learn about professions in STEM. Approximately 100 scholars were accepted out of 1000 applicants.  Sean Fialcowitz '26, a current junior, was accepted into the program this year and, in 2023, senior Ian Grenda '25 was selected as a STEM Scholar. Read more about the STEM Scholars program here, and Delbarton students are encouraged to join the Delbarton Research in Science Club to interact with like-minded STEM-savvy peers.