Starr-Iva Middle to get new STEM lab for expanded program
As the Gateway to Technology program expands, Starr-Iva Middle School will get some renovations this summer to add more lab space.
Starr-Iva Middle to get new STEM lab for expanded program As the Gateway to Technology program expands, Starr-Iva Middle School will get some renovations this summer to add more lab space. Check out this story on independentmail.com: https://www.independentmail.com/story/news/local/2016/04/22/starriva-middle-to-get-new-stem-lab-for-expanded-program/88634522/
of the Independent Mail Published 2:59 p.m. ET April 22, 2016
PHOTOS BY FRANCES PARRISH/INDEPENDENT MAIL Robotic projects from the Gateway to Technology class sit on a shelf in a Starr-Iva Middle School classroom.
Gateway to Technology teacher Johni Cape outlines units for students using a whiteboard.
Two Starr-Iva Middle School classrooms will be renovated over the summer to provide students in the new and growing STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) program more space and access to better equipment.
The $53,000 grant from Timken Inc., a manufacturing company, will go toward computers, new electrical and technological infrastructure, and renovations. The construction will begin in the summer, said David Nixon, Anderson School District 3 assistant superintendent.
The new lab is for the expanding Gateway to Technology program, a project-based curriculum for STEM education. One side of the classroom suite will have desks for lectures, and computers will line the walls of the other half. A robotics table will stand in the center of the room.
The teacher and students are excited for the additional lab space.
"I like that we will have more space to work on our projects," said Iva sixth-grader Will Moore.
The current classroom can get cramped with all the equipment, the students said.
And next year, there will be another class in the lab focusing on automation and robotics, in addition to the current design and modeling class. Both classes are part of the Gateway to Technology program that District 3 implemented this school year in the middle school.
The Gateway to Technology program is fast-paced and more focused with real-world applications. Through projects and problem-based curriculum, it gives students a chance to apply what they know, identify problems, find unique solutions and lead their own learning, said Gateway teacher Johni Cape.
"The program uses the same design process and software that our (industries) are using," Cape said. "I love teaching in the vocational world. I am able to give my students a taste of a lot different skills and opportunities they may not get in a traditional class."
Two years ago, District 3 officials began researching different ways to serve their students in STEM activities.
"I was afraid that I was not giving my students what they needed to be successful in the future. I started looking at what other middle schools were doing and research possible programs," said Cape. "I knew I wanted to give our students a chance to be successful and competitive with the new career center coming."
The Gateway to Technology program segues into the Project Lead the Way courses that will be offered at the new joint district career center expected to open August 2019.
"It really levels the playing ground with everyone. Everyone is about STEM and STEAM," said instructional facilitator Lauren Beth Smith. "This program leads into the high school program Project Lead the Way. Here at the middle school, they are exposed to a little bit, but later on, especially at the new career center, they will be able to experience more."
Trey Nicholson, an eighth-grader from Starr, has been in the previous class for industrial technology, and the new class. While he didn't dislike the older class, he said he likes working on several projects throughout the year in his Gateway class.
"We've made CO2 cars. We painted them, made them and used power tools in shop," Nicholson said. "Switching to Gateway has more projects and covers more material, but you don't go as in-depth."
Follow Frances Parrish on Twitter @frances_AIM
Read or Share this story: https://www.independentmail.com/story/news/local/2016/04/22/starriva-middle-to-get-new-stem-lab-for-expanded-program/88634522/