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New STEM school opens this month
By Denise Dick
CANFIELD
The Mahoning Valley’s first state-designated STEM school opens Aug. 22, bringing hands-on learning to its 92 students.
Valley STEM+ME2 [science, technology, engineering and mathematics and manufacturing and energy with an emphasis on entrepreneurship] Academy, located inside the Mahoning County Career and Technical Center, includes freshman and sophomore students from throughout Mahoning County.
The academy follows a Project Lead the Way curriculum. PLTW is a nonprofit organization that develops STEM curriculum. The curriculum includes courses in engineering, computer science and robotics as well as the more traditional, such as English language arts.
Classes will link together. More courses will be added to meet students’ interests.
“It’s fluid,” said Mara Banfield, the academy’s director. “Those decisions will be made based on the interest level of the kids.”
She interviewed students and their families to learn their reasons for registering for the new program.
“They all said they liked hands-on,” Banfield said. “That’s how they learn. They were excited when they talked about it.”
Students won’t be seated in lines of desks with a teacher in front of a blackboard, lecturing.
While their parents were admonished in school for writing on desks and talking too much to fellow students, they’re actually encouraged to do those things.
The desktops are dry-erase boards, and caster wheels on chair legs allow students to mingle and discuss while they work.
“We want them to talk to each other,” Banfield said. “We want them to collaborate.”
Students will spend a portion of the school day, every day in the STEM lab that’s equipped with 3-D printers and other up-to-date technology.
Many of the academy students likely will enroll in one of MCCTC’s programs in their junior and senior years. If an area that STEM students want to pursue isn’t offered, that program can be added or the academy will expand to include the higher grades.
Mahoning County Educational Service Center is the fiscal agent for the academy.
As in a charter school, the academy gets state funding per student.
There’s no criteria for admission. As long as enrollment isn’t full, all applicants are accepted. The first classes include students from across the achievement spectrum.
About 60 percent are male, and 40 percent female.
Classes won’t be about memorization. Teachers instead will instruct by letting students figure things out.
“Kids never fail to surprise me, and that’s exciting,” she said. “That’s very gratifying.”