Thanks to a gift made to Westminster College, the school is offering its science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) academy for high school students at half price, according to a Westminster press release.
The scholarships drop the $750 fee for the Westminster STEM Academy and on-campus living to $375. A limited number of scholarships are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The academy, designed for ages ranging from high school sophomores to class of 2015 graduating seniors, allows participants to collaborate with professionals in specified fields through eight labs. In addition, students will take part in field work, one of which is at the Prairie Fork Conservation Area. The 711-acre plot was donated by Hilda (Pat) Jones to the Missouri Department of Conservation for research and educational purposes.
Beth Houf, upcoming Fulton Middle School principal with a deep interest in STEM, said the STEM movement comes from the need in related careers, resulting in the need to prepare students for those fields.
"The world has changed around us so much as well as what the experiences are in the job world today," Houf said.
While schools have always taught math and science, Houf said STEM initiatives foster the fusion of the subjects through hands-on activities. At McIntire Elementary School, where Houf currently serves as principal, second grade students have launched rockets. During a STEAM (includes arts) night, one classroom set up a hydraulic arm that picked up a piece of candy. The integration of the STEM subjects adds a complexity to the learning experience, which Houf said takes more time and experimentation for students.
"It's the way they learn," she said. "They learn by doing. Anytime you're able to engage a kinetic learning in the classroom makes the most difference to our kids."
According to the release, the Westminster STEM Academy will "explore how physics, environmental science, mathematics and chemistry impact their daily lives and the entire world."
Activities and subjects in the summer program include:
•building rockets and participating in launches;
•a project to discover how paleontologists investigate rocks and fossils to learn about ancient life;
•investigating DNA properties to find out how it gives deeper insight into family histories and how it helps solve crimes;
•discovering the rate in which an invasive species, like dandelions, takes over an area through field and lab work; and
•learning how substances such as nylon and aspirin can be made in an environmentally safe way through green chemistry.
The Westminster STEM Academy goes June 14-18. Registration deadline is May 31. For more information and to register, go to westminster-mo.edu.