ST1.11
Students are supported in their STEM learning through adult-world connections and extended day opportunities.
LSHS offers students an extensive array of extended day opportunities. Between academic support, academic competitions, community service, internships, and a variety of additional educational experiences, students have the ability to establish a niche in which they can thrive. We strive to provide students real world experiences that help to create and sustain their interests in STEM fields. We want students to fully comprehend the level of expertise that is necessary in order to succeed at the next level. Whether it is planning and implementing a project that benefits the community, or working together as a team to show mastery of a subject or project, our students are developing skills that they will use in college and on the job.
With regards to extended day opportunities, our greatest weakness comes from the reality of our students' lives. For a large number of our students, transportation home is a major issue making extended day opportunities difficult, if not impossible. In addition to establishing car pool options for these students, we are also looking in to expanding our online opportunities for extended learning through online learning platforms and other technologies. It is our hope to create enough occasions for students to further their learning beyond the traditional confines of the school day regardless of their transportation needs.
With regards to extended day opportunities, our greatest weakness comes from the reality of our students' lives. For a large number of our students, transportation home is a major issue making extended day opportunities difficult, if not impossible. In addition to establishing car pool options for these students, we are also looking in to expanding our online opportunities for extended learning through online learning platforms and other technologies. It is our hope to create enough occasions for students to further their learning beyond the traditional confines of the school day regardless of their transportation needs.
STEM Clubs, Programs, and Competitions: LSHS provides our students with STEM focused clubs, programs, and opportunities for competition to round out their academic experience and to promote a culture of life-long, student driven learning. Students have an opportunity to compete in academic competitions as members of a variety of organization, including the yearly Science Fair.
In 2014 the City of Douglasville hosted the inaugural Georgia Gravity Games, presented by Google. The downhill Soap Box Derby drew crowds to downtown Douglasville to cheer on students and organizations that built and raced cars in the event, including LSHS STEM students.
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Extended Day Activities: The STEM Academy provides students with numerous opportunities to expand their learning beyond the classroom and beyond the school day. Each year the Academy hosts an international trip with a STEM focus where students have the opportunity to learn more about their STEM interests and how STEM impacts the world and global environment.
Student Work Samples for Internships and Research with Partners: STEM students work in varied internships with partners such as the Georgia Institute of Technology and Tanner Medical Center, and also with opportunities that they find on their own. Because the experiences are varied, most of the time their work is hands-on where there would not be a sample that was reproduced. However, the students are required to use what they learned from their experiences when completing their STEM Senior Capstone presentation.
Representative Schedules of Student Mentorships, Internships, Research, and Job Shadowing: STEM students have the flexibility to coordinate their schedules for mentorships, internships, research and job shadowing on their own time. We often recommend that this is done during the summer to accommodate for the rigorous STEM curriculum during the school year. STEM students are made aware of opportunities throughout the year via text messages from the STEM Coordinator and postings on the STEM website. Our students are encouraged to use opportunities during the year such as job shadowing through our Work Based Learning program or mentorships with our STEM community partners.
