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September 28, 2021Green Island Teacher Learns in the Kilns and Labs of Norlite
Green Island teacher Jenny Starr is a lifelong learner and that desire to continue improving herself led her to the kilns and labs of Cohoes’ Norlite Aggregate last summer.
Starr spent seven weeks working eight hours a day, four days a week for the materials manufacturer as part of her studies during the Summer STEM Research Institute at Questar III BOCES.
Starr, who teaches middle and high school science at Green Island, was selected for the institute during the summer of 2021 because of her “desire to continue to grow as an educator and not become complacent in my teaching or learning.”
The 22-year education veteran said her work at Norlite centered on testing waste for suitability for use in their kilns has helped her to be a better teacher.
“We are always learning and that does not stop once a degree or certificate is attained. I want to be sure that I am speaking from experience when teaching. Students are increasingly engaged in content when real life experiences and relevant applications can be made to their life and experiences,” Starr said.
Of particular interest was her ability to myth bust while learning at Norlite.
“Everyone thinks Norlite pollutes, but they recover energy from hazardous waste safely and with less pollution than an average person’s day-to-day activities such as pumping gas and dripping on the concrete …, throwing away batteries into the trash and not recycling appropriately,” she said.
“It’s really eye-opening. They have gone above-and-beyond current regulations by installing a $30 million emissions system that scrubs the pollutants from the air. What you see coming out of their stacks is not pollution — it’s steam,” Starr said.
Starr said the experience and knowledge she gained toiling in the kiln and lab of Norlite directly benefits her students.
“The students benefit by having the material they are learning linked to their life through my experiences. It’s all about engagement and relevance,” she said.
Starr was one of nine teachers from the region chosen for Summer STEM Research Institute at Questar III BOCES, which is a partnership between the BOCES and it’s business partners, like Norlite.
