Updates regarding the Race to the Top grant funding program and an interactive presentation by students of the newly implemented pilot program STEM took front row seats at Monday nights Crestview Board of Education meeting.
“This program is all about allowing the kids to explore their interests,” said Diane Parker, one of three Crestview High School teachers part of the new pilot program STEM.
Scott Will, Superintendent of Crestview Local School District updated the board on Student Learning Objectives (SLO), and the Straight A Grant proposal. According to Will, Crestview is one of approximately 500 schools that have applied for what he referred to as,”a competitive grant”. Part of the Race to the Top Grant Funds program, Crestview joined a multitude of public and community school districts who are competing for a four year grant fund that requires schools to commit to a four-year process of academic transformation.
The program is funded by $100,000 grant provided by the Ohio Department of Education as incentive to participate in the innovative program. Participating school districts agree to develop specific goals that include: a collaborative approach to school decision making, to provide leadership while implementing new Ohio learning standards, to increase graduation rate while reducing achievement gaps and to increase college enrollment in 18-19 year old.
Will added,” The program is innovative, we need to figure out if it can be replicated so that we can afford our students every opportunity to compete and be successful.”
The Superintendent updates were followed by a presentation by students and teachers of the newly implemented STEM program. The STEM education program consists of the collaborative mesh of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics presented to students in an innovative and pro-active approach of study.
“We act as facilitators to encourage the students to come up with answers, rather than being the ones to give the answers,” said Jeff Davidson one of three teachers chosen to pilot the program. Davidson, a teacher of Computer Applications, Robotics and 3-D Animation along with Dwight Souder, Science and Diane Parker, Mathematics lead a pilot group of seniors and juniors encouraged to explore new and innovative approaches to questions involving science, technology, engineering and mathematics and learning to intergrade each area to achieve the desired results.
Davidson introduced the first project, an online chess program developed by STEM student Cameron Kline.
The interactive program implements a new technology know as webGL which basically brings hardware-accelerated 3D graphics to the browser with out installing any additional software.
“This is a program that is very marketable right now,” commented Davidson.
STEM students A.J. Trent and Ryan Kreitzer presented a high pressurized cannon to the board. The students hope to use the cannon for school activities such as football games.
Parker also noted that the STEM program provides students the opportunity to include exploration and application of combining science, technology, engineering and math into their projects. The program also provides the opportunity to examine cost analysis as it applies to each project.
Members of the board, Superintendent Will and those in attendance praised the students for their efforts and achievements.
