The New Jersey Science Convention is
co-sponsored by the New Jersey Science Teachers Association and the New
Jersey Science Education Leadership Association and continues to be the
second largest annual convention for teachers in the State of New Jersey.
The Convention is
planned and carried out by the volunteer work of science teachers,
supervisors, and administrators and is attracting over 2,600 professional
educators, and about 140 exhibitors and 300 workshops or seminars.
NEW JERSEY SCIENCE CONVENTION
1977 – 2005
A joint meeting of representatives from the
New Jersey Science Teachers Association (NJSTA) and the New Jersey Science
Supervisors Association (NJSSA) was held on November 9, 1976 at the home
of Roseanne Gillis in Short Hills, New Jersey. In attendance at this
first meeting, presided over by Roseanne and Joseph Krajkovich, were
Robert DeBlasi, Thomas Fangman, Howard Fuhrmann, George Gross, Donald
Peck, and Pete Perrine. It was at this meeting that the decision was made
to hold one state meeting for two days somewhere in the New Brunswick area
during the first week of October. Committees were formed to begin
planning specific aspects of this state meeting and Robert DeBlasi was
charged to invite the Bergen County Science Supervisors Association (BCSSA)
to participate. Subsequently BCSSA declined to participate but agreed to
publicize all events.
It was at a meeting held on December 7, 1976,
chaired by Joseph Krajkovich, with Thomas Fangman, Howard Fuhrmann,
Roseanne Gillis, George Gross, Elmer Kruper, Donald Peck, and Robert
Searson in attendance that the formal planning began. The title of the
State meeting would be The New Jersey Science Convention (NJSC), and the
current presidents of the two sponsoring organizations would co-chair the
convention. Roseanne Gillis, president of NJSTA, coordinated the programs
and Joseph Krajkovich, president of NJSSA, coordinated the vendors.
Committees to deal with site, vendors, speakers, hospitality,
registration, publicity and mailing, program and meal functions were
formed. The initial steering committee consisted of the two co-chairs and
representatives for NJSSA, Robert DeBlasi, Thomas Fangman, Donald Peck,
and Peter Perrine and representatives for NJSTA, John Feldman, Howard
Fuhrmann, Ruth Ellen Gronenthal, George Gross, and Elmer Kruper. Howard
Fuhrmann became the convention treasurer. By April, 1977, all the
committees were functioning and included, in addition to the Steering
Committee members, Peg White, Audrey Brainard, and Sr. Shirley Corbliss.
The first convention was held at the Coachman
Inn, Cranford, New Jersey on October 13 and 14, 1977. Over 600 science
educators attended. Now after 25 years, the Steering Committee has
increased to 34, and the attendance is over 3200 science educators. In
addition, a number of affiliated organizations have supported the work of
the convention. One of the first was the American Chemical Society, North
Jersey Section Teachers Affiliate, who provided luncheon speakers in 1978
and 1979. In 1982, the New Jersey section of the American Association of
Physics Teachers developed a physics program for the convention. In
succeeding years, the Biology Teachers Association of New Jersey and the
New Jersey Earth Science Teachers developed programs and supported the
convention. In the 1990’s, the Council of Elementary Science - New Jersey
(CES-NJ) contributed in the development of programs.
In 1990, the NJSC found a new home in
Somerset. The new location provided large exhibit and workshop areas in
the Garden State Exhibit Center, as well as additional hotel meeting
rooms. For more that a decade, the convention has been housed in what is
now the Doubletree Hotel, formerly the Hilton Hotel, the Somerset Hotel,
and the Raddison Hotel. As the convention continued to grow, it was
necessary to use the facilities in the nearby Somerset Holiday Inn for
additional meeting and banquet space.
For the past quarter century, world renowned
banquet speakers have been an important highlight of the NJSC. Some
additional convention highlights include the annual standing room only
hands-on workshops, the overflowing Demo Dens, the Frontiers in Science
series presented by research scientists from major NJ industries, sessions
given by NASA scientists, and programs presented by the NJ Commissioners
of Education and by the presidents of NSTA and NSELA (NSSA). The
convention has been visited by the governor of New Jersey and has been
featured on CNN. More than ten years ago, a full day pre-convention
session was introduced into the program. It has been very well received
by NJ science educators, and each year the attendance increases. The NJSC
exhibit area has been a special highlight year after year. The displays
are attractive, interesting, and provide the opportunity for educators to
examine the latest publications and to inspect the newest science
equipment. These are only a few of the many outstanding happenings that
have been responsible for the growth and success of NJSC that we are
celebrating at this Silver Anniversary.
The NJSC continues to grow and evolve as it
keeps meeting the needs of Science Education in the 21st century. In
2000, the NJ Department of Education mandated that, consistent with the NJ
Professional Standards, teachers and educational service personnel
complete 100 hours of continuing education every five years. Since the
year 2000, the NJSC has been a state registered provider for the 100 hours
of professional development. Nearly all of the programs and activities of
the NJSC qualify as credits towards the 100 hours obligation.
There have been eight NJSC co-chairs since
1977. The founding co-chairs were Roseanne Gillis and Joseph
Krajkovich. Angelina Romano, Elmer Dey, Trudy Iwanski, David Lee,
and Louis Caprario followed them.
Currently, Sandra Buleza and Nancy Evans Bennett are serving as the convention
co-chairs.
The NJSC proudly acknowledges the convention
co-chairs, the Steering and Program committee members, and the presidents
of NJSELA (formerly NJSSA) and NJSTA who have generously given of their
time, talent, and energy which has resulted in the overwhelming success of
the NJSC. Their dedication and leadership has contributed significantly
to advancement of science education in the State of New Jersey and in the
nation.
