White Pine's STEM Portfolio

White Pine 2nd graders had a truly memorable learning experience this week with a special visit from Melroy Teigen , a highly accomplished engineer who spent his career with the U.S. Forest Service . Mr. Teigen rose to the position of Regional Engineer of the Pacific Southwest Region and served as the Director of Engineering , overseeing major engineering projects across the western United States. But one of the most remarkable parts of his career came during a historic natural disaster— the eruption of Mt. St. Helens in 1980. As the Forest Engineer at the time , Mr. Teigen was responsible for leading the reconstruction of critical infrastructure damaged by the eruption. His projects included: Rebuilding roads, bridges, and campgrounds destroyed by volcanic activity Constructing an 8,000-foot tunnel to help lower and manage water levels in Spirit Lake Designing and overseeing the building of three visitor centers to help educate the public and honor the impact of the er...

 At White Pine, we believe in learning that goes beyond the classroom—and our latest student-led project is the perfect example. This spring, students took the initiative to build and launch a school compost bin , and they’ll be responsible for maintaining it throughout the year. The project began with lessons on sustainability, ecosystems, and the environmental impact of food waste. From there, students got hands-on: designing the bin, assembling materials, and creating a system for collecting compostable items like fruit peels, vegetable scraps, and paper towels from classrooms and lunches. But this compost bin is more than a school project—it’s a valuable learning tool and a step toward a greener campus. 🌍 Why Composting Matters Composting has a number of powerful benefits, including: Reducing landfill waste by diverting food scraps and biodegradable materials Enriching soil for school gardens with nutrient-rich compost Cutting down greenhouse gas emissions by l...

We are proud to celebrate an exciting achievement by several of our STEM Academy students who competed in this year’s Science Olympiad —a prestigious academic competition that challenges students in various fields of science, engineering, and technology. Held annually, Science Olympiad brings together top student teams to compete in events ranging from physics and chemistry to environmental science, engineering design, and lab-based challenges. Each event is designed to promote teamwork, inquiry, and real-world problem solving—core values we embrace at White Pine. Our students rose to the challenge and made us incredibly proud with their performance: 🥈 Trison and Daniel earned 2nd Place in Optics , an event focused on the behavior and properties of light. They demonstrated their understanding of mirrors, lenses, and lasers through a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical application. 🥇 Laneah and Devin took home 1st Place in the Tower event , where students design a...